Saturday in the Suburbs...

Quote of the day--
"About all you can do in life is be who you are." -- Rita Mae Brown

I don’t get it…

I was hanging out the washing this morning and the dog next door was barking at whatever. Anyway the owner of said yappy dog came out and said to the dog in a calm, scolding-a- naughty-child type voice – “You really must stop this, Lily.” I assume Lily was the dog or there was something else going on that I missed. Lily, the dog, barked furiously at her owner’s voice. The owner then said “Really, this behaviour will not do.” Bark, bark, bark. “Now come on, you’ve have your fun, be a good girl and show mummy how quiet you can be.” Bark, bark, bark. “Lily, I am becoming very disappointed in you.” Bark, bark, bark. Huh? Forgive my non-pet owning ignorance – though I did have Marlene the goldfish for seven years but she didn’t bark she mainly looked bored – but is it likely Lily the dog is going to say – “Forgive me, you’re quite right. I lost my head and I apologize for barking. What a nuisance I am. I am embarrassed by my actions. I will be quiet now.” It just fascinates how this person expected a dog that cannot understand English to understand her ‘disappointment.’ I am sure dogs respond to tone of voice. Maybe Lily did understand and was secretly pleased to have a chance to piss her owner off. Maybe Lily thought – I’ll made her pay for putting this crap collar on me or feeding me chicken when I wanted beef and what’s with having to pee outside when everyone else pees inside?


I was reading the multi-talented Brynn Paulin’s blog – Writing at the Speed of Life - and I realized just how obsessed I am with water. You know when you’ve been in a drought when you are horrified when someone mentions shaving their legs in the shower and you cannot contemplate how you can get that done in the four minutes you are restricted to. And before you think Brisbane is overrun by shagging legged women…hmm, though in some suburbs…we’re not. We’re just really conscious not to run taps as we do it. Everything in Australia seems to revolve around water. In Brisbane we have had some rain – yay – it has taken the damn levels from 15% to 25% capacity. Everyone is very excited. Sure, 25% capacity is not much but we are lucky. We are not living in a 3rd world country suffering drought, disease and poverty.

By the way, on a lighter, non-water related note – Brynn has a new, hot book – Master Me – out now. Go to her blog and check it out.

Just finished reading – Crazy for The Cowboy – Cindy Spencer Pape – an excellent sweet, sexy romance with a cowboy. Check it out on - http://www.thewildrosepress.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=141&products_id=378


Okay, I have a big nasty lurker somewhere in my bedroom. I just know it’s going to pounce tonight. What am I talking about? When I brought the clean laundry in, I was too slack arsed to fold the clean sheets so I just re-used the same ones. Anyway as I made the bed the biggest, frigging spider I have ever seen was on one of the sheets. I flicked the sheet and sent the spider flying though the air and someone in my bedroom. Duh! Head slap. I would like to think he has taken the hint and moved on but I just know he’s going appear when I least expect. Spiders don’t scare me. I just prefer they don’t run up my leg when I’m asleep. Years ago I once woke up to see a big arsed spider crawling up the sheets towards my face. I slammed back the covers, jumped out of bed and then tried to kill it with deodorant – first thing I grabbed. The spider stumbled away shaking either through shock or it was laughing hysterically – not sure which. Tonight unless this spider morphs into Spiderman, he’s going down.


A Shades of Gray moment…released 6th February – warning adult content

“Oh for God’s sake put some clothes on Swerve,” Temperance snapped as she walked into her living room to find a naked red-headed man wandering around her house. She had just come from dealing with supposed vampires and knee trembling sex with a surprise cop. She was sated, pissed off and confused. Temperance did not need to add any naked men to the equation. Her day, apart from one outstanding moment with the sexy cop, had been crap. Seeing her housemate’s naked, spaced-out boyfriend just added to it.
“Oh, hey sorry, Tempster.” Swerve smiled with childlike sweetness at her as he sat down the on sofa.

“Now. Put your clothes on now.” Temperance had to keep reminding herself that when Swerve was stoned to the eyeballs, she had to tell him a specific time frame with each order directed at him.
“Oh right—okay.” Swerve got up and drifted off into his girlfriend’s bedroom.

“Fucking pothead,” Temperance muttered to herself in exasperation. She liked Swerve but there were times when she saw more than enough—quite literally—of her housemate’s boyfriend. Swerve’s real name was Steven or Simon or something conventional that started with an “S”. Temperance expected in twenty years from now this retro love child would be some rich corporate mogul and people would think her lucky that she had to chance to see him naked. She watched as he went, his cock bouncing jauntily out of a forest of red pubic hair.

“Lucky? I don’t think so,” Temperance muttered to herself as she watched his firm white butt leave the room. “Scary stuff that.” She looked at her sofa. Every time she even thought to sit on it, she refrained, knowing that some part of Swerve’s naked anatomy had been on it.

Temperance sighed and went into the kitchen where she found her blonde, beautiful housemate Cat making sandwiches. Temperance looked down and shuddered when she saw the sandwich filling. Cheese, chocolate syrup, lettuce, banana, peanut butter and rainbow sprinkles on wholegrain. Disgusting? Yes. Unusual? No, not really. It was all pretty much par for the course for the free-spirited Cat Peterson. Cat did things because they felt right to her. And unlike her hapless boyfriend, thankfully Cat was clothed in a bright orange sarong. She smiled at Temperance in a glazed way.

“Your brain is going to rot if you keep smoking that weed Cat.” What would it be like to be so mellow and not worried about being in control? Cat would have sex because it felt good and she would not think more than that after it. Unfortunately Temperance was not wired that way.

“You want a happy sandwich Temp?”

Anny has the next installment of the blog serial on www.annycook.blogspot.com. She is also talking fridge magnet philosophy. I love fridge magnets. Kelly is talking about crocheting bed jackets for mice or the healing power of lentils…or maybe not on www.kkirch.blogspot.com

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

The Wednesday Interview

This week’s brilliant author is multi-published Bronwyn Green with one of her latest books, Ronan’s Grail. Lickable chest alert on this cover. Next week Molly Daniels joins us with her new release Love Finds A Way.

Ronan’s Grail - The Blurb

Six of Wands in the Torrid Tarot Series

Ronan, bastard son of Lancelot of the Lake and last of King Arthur's knights, has been charged with a quest -- find the Holy Grail. Merlin sends him forward in time to seek the relic, promising he'll know the keeper of the grail by a sigil. If he fails all is lost.

Morgan Foster bears the magical symbol in the form of an ill-conceived tattoo but has no idea what to make of this hot, possibly crazy man who lays siege to her body and heart.

Timeless magic and breathless passion bring them together, but is their love strong enough to survive when the battles of the past rip their fragile future apart?

Dedication/Acknowledgement
For Mama—if not for your bedtime stories of King Arthur and Athena and Arachne, not to mention the wildly inappropriate lullabies, I wouldn’t be the woman I am today. You mommed me good.

I’d also like to thank Brynn, Lacey and Carol—you guys keep me sane. Thank you to my critique group—Chel, Jen, Mary, Cheryl and Marti – you guys rock! Thank you also to my wonderful editor Helen, and to Matt, Mom, Cait, Manda, Margaret, Julie, Roxanne, Shannon and Kim—I’m so lucky to have you all in my life.

The Interview

1. You have some sizzling sex scenes in your book. How hard is it to write sex and make it convincing?

I don’t usually have a problem writing sex scenes, because the encounters evolve from the characters and their situations. I think convincing sex needs to be based in convincing emotions. If there’s no emotional connection for the characters there’s none for the readers and at that point, I might as well be writing porn.

2. Romance and the condom. How hard do you find to slip it in or on when the action is hot between characters?

It depends on the story, time period and characters. It’s obviously far more difficult in fantasy and historical stories than contemporary, but most of the time I find it a giant pain in the bum. My feeling is that I’m writing fantasies for adults, who if they’re smart enough to download a book and read it, they’re smart enough to use condoms in real life. But, that said, if it makes sense for the characters, I’m more than happy to provide protection for them.

3. Do you think romance just happens or do you make your characters work for it?

They have to work for it. If there’s no struggle or conflict then the story isn’t interesting. Who wants to read about Mr. Perfect meets Ms. Flawless and their special, special life?
B-O-R-I-N-G.

4. What is it about your hero that makes him irresistible to women?

Well, he’s hot, smart (stupid…so not a turn on) completely taken with the heroine – even when she drives him batty. He’s strong – emotionally and physically and he’d lay his life to save his woman. What’s not to love?

5. Do you think readers want to escape or do they want to identify with a character?

Yes. I think readers want both. It can be difficult for readers to escape if they can’t indentify – at least somewhat – with a character. For instance, I find that I can’t completely lose myself in a book if the heroine is an idiot or nauseatingly sweet and simpering. The same goes for a hero who’s a complete asshat with no redeeming qualities. Even if he’s all-alpha all the time, he has to have some hints of vulnerability or kindness that the heroine can see that makes him attractive to both her and the reader. Wait…what was the question again?

6. What do you think is the most important thing to remember when writing romance?

Emotion, emotion, emotion – as a reader, I want to know what a character is thinking and feeling. Without that in depth connection, the romance falls flat.

7. What are you working on now?

Guardian’s Challenge which is the sequel to Overlord’s Vessel fir EC and Solstice Seduction and Moonlit Magic for TEB.

**Click on the cover to buy the book!**

Last week’s Brilliant Author – Brynn Paulin and All Chained Up

Did you see Anny’s take on the blog serial on www.annycook.blogspot.com/? I just knew she would have to pierce something some time. On www.kkirch.blogspot.com/ Kelly is still paying penance for chopping the map of Australia in two. What riveting Aussie fact does she have for us today or did she pike out?

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

The Wednesday Interview

This week’s brilliant author is Brynn Paulin with her brand new release All Chained Up. So read the interview then go immediately to Ellora’s Cave and buy the book – and if you see a couple by the Jones girl please consider buying them to keep me in Tim Tam money...thank you. Next week Bronwyn Green author of Ronan’s Grail will grace us with her presence.

All Chained Up – The Blurb

On the run from a stalker, Keera has carefully hidden her attraction to Theo, knowing surrendering to her lust isn’t an option. She can’t put him in danger.

Theo, however, is determined to take the choice from her hands. For months, he’s studied her and he has a few secrets of his own. The biggest is his D/s lifestyle. He’s a Dom without a submissive, but he’s not interested in anyone but Keera.

After a surprise night of passion, she consents to be his. But one minute she’s there, the next she’s gone and on the run again. Theo is determined to bring her back to his side where he can protect her. Then he’ll keep her there forever, wrapped in the chains of his love.

The Interview

1. You have some sizzling sex scenes in your book. How hard is it to write sex and make it convincing?

I do find sex scenes harder to write than regular scenes. You have to be in the right mood or they read like sex manuals. However, once I get going, whew! Sometimes I have to rein it in. If I continue to have trouble with a scene, it’s because the characters don’t have a strong enough connection yet. If there’s no connection, the scene won’t be convincing no matter how hot or kinky the sex.

2. Romance and the condom. How hard do you find to slip it in or on when the action is hot between characters?

I have trouble remembering to put it on. Maybe it’s because I’m a girl. Maybe it’s because there haven’t been condoms in my house for eleven years. I usually have to go back and rewrite them in unless I consciously think…“okay, today, hero X puts on condom and gets down to business.” But I have to be at that part of the scene. Usually, I’m three scenes down the line and suddenly swear because I realize I have to go back and slip the thing on him. How he puts on the condom is directly related to my frame of mind. If he jerks on the condom, I’m pretty pissed.

3. Do you think romance just happens or do you make your characters work for it?

For the most part, they work for it. I think everyone works for it and I try to relate some element of that reality into my writing—even the fantasy books. Lust pops up out of the blue sometimes. Romance, however does not. That takes a conscious effort.

4. What is it about your hero that makes him irresistible to women?

He’s hot. He’s successful. He’s dominant. And he cares enough about his woman to put his life on the line. Most women are pretty taken with a man who’s a bit possessive and dominates without being a jerk.

5. Do you think readers want to escape or do they want to identify with a character?

Both! Reading is about escape. We have enough junk in our lives without being bombarded with it in fiction. We need our happy endings. However, I think a reader needs to identify with the character and how they deal with problems and succeed. It gives hope and relief from the everyday pressures of life.

6. What do you think is the most important thing to remember when writing romance?

That it’s a romance. It’s easy to get caught up in the sex or the world building or the action and adventure. In the end, though, you’re writing about two people discovering one another and falling in love. You’re writing about two people who your readers should believe can exist in the real world. It’s imperative that they have believable emotions and reactions to what’s going on around them. I like to put my characters through the emotional wringer.

7. What are you working on now?

Right now, I’m working on a mid-length fantasy for Ellora’s Cave and two novella for Total-e-bound.

**Click on the Cover and buy the book**

The blog serial continues on www.annycook.blogspot.com and as you can tell Anny has quite the imagination. Kelly is talking about kissing or kiting…or maybe it's knitting - something like that on www.kkirch.blogspot.com. And please take a squiz at the blogs to the left and see what writers get up to in their spare time….they are a creative, yet scary bunch...not me of course, I am completely normal-ish.

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

Blogspit on the Blogspot…

To have a spit or spit the dummy – is to get angry, to stamp your feet and to let someone know they have pissed you off. I believe it’s good to let it out. Some well know Ellora’s Cave and Cerridwen Press writers recently vented their spleen….

What pisses me off is when people refer to my writing as a 'nice hobby'. Does that shoot anyone else’s blood pressure up?

Mine, mine, mine! I want to do evil things to them. Really, really evil. I’d like to see these people sit down and sweat through a manuscript,. Then bust their ass trying to sell it and kill themselves promoting it. Hobby? Kiss my grits!

Totally! If you count a hobby which consumes your waking thoughts, absorbs your free time and no so free time, requires promotion, and personal credibility.

Here’s another one, mate.
“Oh e-books? That’s nice. When are you actually going to get something published.”

or "When are you going to publish a REAL book?"

My personal favorite -- when I showed my father the cover for my first mystery, he said, quote, very nice. Did you do it myself or did you have to pay someone to make it?

Or my second favorite, when my mother gave one of her books -- a Harlequin regency -- to a man who lived across the alley from her, he said. "Oh, thanks. My wife loves these crummy little books."

My favorite... "What's taking so long? It's just a bunch of sex scenes..."

Don’t be messing with writers. We may be working quietly away but we can turn on you the minute if you ask us an inane question about what we are doing. Writing is work. So whatever you were going to say re-think it and back away or you may just be the character in the next book that meets a ghastly end. Is it really worth it?

Something pissing you off? Send me an email and I’ll put it on the blog – amarinda_jones@yahoo.com.au

Last time on the blog serial, Kelly on www.kkirch.blogspot.com left us with cryptic mumblings of a dragon….

"To the West if doom is your quest. To the East if you value life least," the dragon answered cryptically.

"Well isn't that just peachy? What about north or south genius?"

"It's a two dimensional choice, Emmeline. Chose wisely for once you have chosen your path, your path has chosen you. There is no turning back." The dragon faded into the myst leaving Emmeline alone. Left or right? And assuming she actually could tell which way was east and west, did she want doom or death? Was there a difference?

And I’m not in the mood for being cryptic so my turn…

“Well, fuck it.” Emmeline murmured. She wasn’t about to listen to mystical psycho-babble from a dragon. She looked down at the ring on her left thumb. The emerald flashed green fire. Should she use the power it contained to get her out of Faeryland? She knew the risks of calling on this power. But who would know? Zoltan was in another dimension hanging out with naked pixies. “Bugger it, I’ll use it. What’s the worst that can happen?”

“What are you talking about?” The dragon asked querulously. He had given his best inscrutable, riddle of the sands speech and this woman had dismissed it with a swear word.

“I’m out of here dragon breath.” Emmeline closed her eyes, put the ring to her mouth and kissed the stone. “Take me to somewhere where riches flow, people are happy and the colours shine brightly.” Within the blink of an eye she disappeared.

* * * * *

“Whoa head spin!” Emmeline staggered to a nearby wall to clear her head. She had never used the ring to travel though dimensions before and now she knew why. It made her feel pukeable. “Where am I?”

“You’re in Vegas, baby,” a passing Elvis impersonator told her in his best King-like voice.

Emmeline looked down at the ring and swore. “Dumb ring. I wanted real riches not possible riches.” She looked around her. A gaudy sign caught her eye. Her mouth dropped open in shock.

“Holy snapping ducks!” Rafe and Rinalda’s smiling faces beamed out at her. “What the hell are they doing here?

What will the ever zen-ful Anny do tomorrow on www.annycook.blogspot.com? Your guess is as good as mine.

Looking for a great book to read? Well of course you are. Check out - On Your Knees – by Brynn Paulin – click on the cover and buy the book

Jessica needed sex and she needed it now.

She barely registered being dressed in the most transparent pink baby doll top she’d ever seen. Three tiny ties held the front closed between her breasts, but left her belly totally bare. Coupled with a miniscule thong that tied on the sides, she was hardly clothed. The fabric chafed her clit and she tried to push it away.

Fin pulled her hands away and lifted her from the table. He guided her toward the secret door. “Come with me,” he instructed.

“No. I can’t. I need—”

“Your needs will soon be filled,” he assured her.

Leaving Bobby in the room, he took her down a flight of stone steps that lead to a long dimly lit hallway. They passed several iron-studded doors before Fin stopped in front of one near the end of the hallway. Moans punctuated the cool air around them.

Lucky people.

She had to join a party. No sex for her. Could she just peek in, say hi and dash home to her vibrator? She frowned, knowing she should be more concerned about joining the party dressed in a transparent scrap of lace and drenched panties.

Fin opened the door, revealing a deserted torch-lit chamber. She turned frantically as he shoved her inside. Now her freaking senses decided to return? Chains, cuffs, and various whips lined the upper half of one wall, along with several other items she was hesitant to identify. The lower half was a bank of drawers. Hastily sizing up her situation she scanned the rest of the room. An odd bench stood to one side of the room near another iron-studded door. A set of manacles dangled on a thick chain from the center of the ceiling.

Her knees buckled.

A dungeon!

“Wait! There’s been a mistake!” she protested.

“It’s no mistake, miss.” He pulled her toward the chain. She was no match for his strength as he fastened each cuff around her slim wrists. She yanked on them trying to get free. The increased movement served only to amplify the ache throbbing in her cleft and breasts.

“Let me go!”

“You can voice your complaints to the dungeon master.”

The who?

“What! Let me go!” she demanded. Finn shook his head, wishing her a good night, and strolled from the room. The heavy door closed with an echoing thud behind him.

What had she walked right into? She closed her eyes as horrible, scary as hell images filled her head.

Madam Curie had better be right about that happily-ever-after part or I’m hunting her down. Somehow, Jessica couldn’t imagine her happy new future beginning in a dungeon.

Ryan almost lost himself—again—when he entered the dungeon. Damn he was getting soft. Surveying his woman, he was anything but soft. His cock throbbed against the thick leather pants containing it.

Jessica, unattainable Jessica, whom he’d wanted for months, stood in the middle of the room, her hands bound above her head. Her thighs flexed as she pressed and released them, fighting her arousal.

She turned when she heard the door shut, her sparkling green eyes narrowed with anger. “You must be the dungeon master,” she spat out derisively.

Yes, this would be difficult.

“Let me go, you prick! I swear if you don’t release me, I’m suing all your asses off. This place will be toast.”

“Oh, I highly doubt that.”

Her anger sent strength through him. Disciplining her would be a pleasure. He crossed his arms over his chest, knowing the muscle beneath the tribal tattoo banding his right biceps would bulge making it more prominent. She wouldn’t know the mark was a symbol of his power.

“Try me.”

He smiled at the phrase she’d picked up from him. “I intend to.”

For a smile and the chance to go in the draw for a great Halloween competition check out http://sandracox.blogspot.com/


www.freewebs.com/amarindajones/


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