Baby its cold outside...

The last couple of mornings I have noticed something. Its cold outside and it’s surprised me. Yes, it’s almost winter in Australia. Yes, it does get cold. Yes, you would think I would factor that in when the chill hits me but that thing is I live in Brisbane. We’re a little odd here. Brizzie dwellers refuse to believe winter will come. Why? Because we want to believe it’s always sunny in Queensland - the sunshine state - and that winter is for everyone else. So as the first blasts of cold air hit us in the face we’re always surprised, bordering on refusing to believe or accept winter. We’ll moan and whine and generally crap on about how wrong it is to be cold and when spring warms us up we’ll forget all about the cold until next year when we’ll act surprised once more. As I said, we’re a little odd, a tad quirky but fantastic, occasionally delusional, people.

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

You can hold my intestines anytime….

Seducing Celestine - Review

On a cold wintry night while stuck in doors sometimes you just need to do something fun. Seducing Celestine turned my cold evening into one filled with laughter and heat. Celestine is the epitome of a quirky heroine, full of spunk, oddball behavior and is a total sexpot in bed. Her duel with Nick over the possibility that their relationship is more than just sex was a pleasure to enjoy. As always, the male lead in the story, Nick, is a happy-go-lucky guy who knows what he wants, knows when to push and when to step back and let his woman figure things out on her own. I’ve become a rabid fan of Amarinda Jones and her outback dialogue which, for me, adds something special to her stories. Stories which are already dynamic to begin with seem to jump off the pages and snatch you into them. I’ve come to expect a great time when reading one of her stories and she’s yet to disappoint. I think if more people smiled and laughed when it came to enjoying each other relationships would be better for it. So, if you’re looking for a story that can provide some warm fuzzy feelings on a cold winter night you can’t go wrong by picking up a copy of Seducing Celestine.

http://joyfullyreviewed.com/reviews/RRs/Jan08RR/SeducingCelestine.AJ.html

Like any normal person, I hate, loath and despise cleaning. Puke. Spew. But in the eternal quest to de-junkify my life - (my editor is having a nervous twitch for sure at that word. Hmmm, should I use it in a book?) - I cleaned up the 3rd bed-come-chuck-stuff-you-have-no-idea-what-to-do-with room. Last week I cleaned up under the house-type-storeroom area. It is a thing of beauty now. I swear that the blue tongue lizards have a smile on their faces as they skitter through.

The third bedroom - what can I say? If pirates needed somewhere to bury treasure they would do it there. If a burglar broke into this room first he would probably sue me for lack of opportunity to find anything. Criminals on the run have my third bedroom listed as a potential hide out. But the thing is there is some useful stuff in there. I have an amazingly impressive assortment of medical supplies. If there was a major catastrophe I believe I could quite easily set up a hospital at Chez Amarinda. My mother was a nurse. She believed in being prepared for anything. I have learned from her practical wisdom. I have all manner of bandages for thumbs to bums. I have Army wound packs (ex-Army brat), I have salves, lotions, potions, swabs and saline solution -and I know how to use them. Not only did I learn from my mother but I did a first aid course years ago. It was there that I was awarded the sort of praise that every woman longs to hear at least once in their life. During the assessment, my instructor said, “You are the sort of woman who would be excellent holding in someone’s intestines at a road accident.” I naturally, as you do, went all girlish at this praise. Beauty fades but the ability to cope with intestines in a crisis goes on forever.

Anyway off guts….I have all the family history documents in the third bedroom along with an old lime green 1970’s sofa I like, three sewing machines, a mini haberdashery store, fans, heaters, fat clothes, thin clothes, boxes of pilfered stationery, things I may possibly repair, important files, 7 jars of old buttons (I’m not sure why either), a ladder, an amazing collection of 1930’s table runners, 2 big old tin trunks full of fabric, 4 old mobile phones, 2 1950’s laundry hampers full of assorted crap,12 big arsed candles from the 1970’s and a box of stuff I'm still not sure what it is other than there are a lot of wires, bits of plastic and paper things. I'm sure at the time there was an excellent reason to keep it. After cleaning up, I can actually walk in without stumbling or cracking my shin against stuff. Did I throw anything out…er, well, no but cleaning and not throwing out had been the aim. Tomorrow, I will venture into the second bedroom because there is the promise of alcohol in the evening to calm my nerves. Cleaning is pukeable but unfortunately necessary. I don’t cook either – I mean I can but I prefer not to. I would have made a terrible housewife. Cooking requires too much time and thought and cleaning up. This is I believe why takeaway food containers were invented. I feel its best not to disturb the natural order of things – we can’t have the cosmos spinning out of control now can we?

Miscellaneous Amarinda News….

I got a contract from Ellora’s Cave on a book called Anyone But You. Yay me. I also sent another submission in. I had been writing like a woman possessed during the couple of weeks I have been looking for the job. I am a great believer in using time productively. Speaking of jobs – after much haggling, I accepted job 27. I know my self worth and I know what I should be paid and what conditions I will accept. Yes, I am a pain in the bum and I am sure much sighing and eye rolling went on their end with the haggling but if I do not fight for me no one else will? So I start that on Monday. Is there a job 28 looking on the horizon? Possibly? Who knows? I believe in taking a risk if something better presents itself.

Just finished reading…

Nettleflower by Chris Power and Terri Beckett – great historical romance. http://www.cerridwenpress.com/productpage.asp?ISBN=9781419908149
Winter Hearts by Anny Cook – hot, funny and romantic sex as only Anny Cook can.
http://www.ellorascave.com/productpage.asp?ISBN=9781419913723

Mad About Mirabelle - review

Oh yummy, yummy! Mad About Mirabelle is a story that starts with a bang and just keeps getting better and better. I loved Mirabelle’s smart-alecky mouth and her unashamed snooping. She’s bowled over by Flynn and his sexual aggressiveness but willingly explores their relationship, especially as Flynn reveals the depth of his feelings. While some may think their relationship progressed too rapidly, for Flynn and Mirabelle, it seemed just right. Flynn’s character was straightforward and sexy as all get out. Once he decided he was Mad About Mirabelle, there was no stopping him! Their deliciously sexual escapades along with the twists and turns in this tale had me drooling, laughing and completely enjoying Mad About Mirabelle!
http://sensual.ecataromance.com/index.php?p=435

Kelly had the next spine tingling-oh-my-god episode of the blog serial on www.kkirch.blogspot.com. Anny will no doubt download the wisdom of the ages on www.annycook.blogspot.com as only she can.

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

12 Days of Romance competition - it's here!

12 Days of Romance – yes it officially begins today! Let the pigeons loose!

Do you want to win some fantastic holiday reading? Of course you do. 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.

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) or worlds collide and you don’t want to be responsible for that now do you?


The Philadelphia Story.

Dexter: She needs trouble to mature her, Kittredge. Give her lots of it.
George: I'm afraid she can't count on me for that.
Dexter: No? That's too bad. Sometimes, for your own sake, Red, I think you should have stuck to me longer.
Tracy: I thought it was for life, but the nice Judge gave me a full pardon.
Dexter: Aw, that's the old redhead, no bitterness, no recrimination, just a good swift left in the jaw.

Dexter: I suppose you'd still be attractive to any man of spirit, though. There's something engaging about it, this goddess business. There's something more challenging to the male than the, uh, more obvious charms.
Tracy: Really?
Dexter: Really. We're very vain, you know - 'This citadel can and shall be taken, and I'm the boy to do it.'

One of my favourite all times movies was on television this arvo. The Philadelphia Story. I taped it on my antiquated VCR to watch later tonight. Yes, I could buy a DVD but why chuck out something that works for a new whiz bang model? Whiz bang is not always better. Anyway I love this movie. It is from 1940 and it is an archetypal romance/screwball comedy. Put Cary Grant in a movie and I will watch it. Ever seen His Girl Friday? It’s a classic. Like The Philadelphia Story there are some excellent lines in it. I think it’s sad and limiting that people forget about the old classic movies. New movies have there place but don’t forget the old ones. Although they don’t have the rampant sex of their contemporaries they do have wit, charm and a strong under lying sexuality. Let’s face it, sex does not have to be in your face to be sexy. Sometimes a look says it all. So tell me, what look did it for you? What got your knees wobbling? Was it one too many drinks or a man? Care to share?


Wedgedale

I am off to Wedgedale tomorrow. Where is it? Actually it doesn’t exist. What? Let me explain. There was a comedy (some call it that) show that was on Aussie TV recently. It was called The Wedge set in fictitious Wedgedale. I never watched it. However, both Ethel and Katie (best friends) did. One of the skits was called the “The Pokie Girls” It revolved around these two white trash women who spend their lives playing the poker machines (slot machines) or as we call ‘em the pokies. Anyway, apparently each time these women won some money they yelled out “Lucky” at the top of their shrill voices. Okay - so Ethel and Katie like to play the pokies and they do the same thing every time we go to this particular sports club for lunch – hence why we call it Wedgedale. So picture two grown women shouting out “Lucky!” every time they win a dollar. What do I do? I just nod and smile and chat. It’s not like I’m sane so I can hardly expect others to be. So tomorrow if you are on the south side of Brisbane in a sports club just over the Gateway Bridge and you hear “Lucky!” being screamed out every couple of minutes, that’s us…come and say hello.

Five fast ones with author Anny Cook

1. What star sign are you? On the edge, depending on which book/column you read between Scorpio and Sagittarius. Name one fabulous characteristic of this sign. So powerful and passionate, honest and straightforward

2. Aliens surround your house during your favorite TV show. You are in grave danger. Do you turn up the sound? Grab your laptop and start taking notes for your next book? Or do you turn off the lights and pretend you’re not at home? Or none of the above?

What’s the sense of adventure there? Why not open the door and invite them in for a drink and snack? Maybe see if they’re willing to take a passenger back with them? I have this neighbor that I’ve been thinking was an alien for quite a while. I’m sure I could work a deal with them to take her home.

3. My favourite food is….chocolate almond chip ice cream because I CAN!

4. If I was in charge of the world I would... make all men have at least one baby. That would absolutely solve the population control problem. No sex until they have their first child. And I would make every individual live without running water for two weeks. Think that would solve the water shortage.

5. Name your special talent. Keeping secrets. Not my own necessarily, but other people’s secrets.

Winter Hearts – by Anny Cook - released 12th December 2007 through Ellora’s Cave. Click on the cover above and buy any or all of Anny's books

The Blurb….

Unity Brooks can't believe her eyes when she discovers evidence of illegal transactions in the company books. She presents the evidence to her supervisor who listens attentively and even provides her with a comforting cup of coffee. Imagine her embarrassment when she wakes half-naked and bound in the arms of Aquila Johnson, the accountant auditing the books.

After spending a stunning night with Unity, Quill is puzzled when she drops out of sight. His employer sends him home to investigate a case nearby until the media finds other scandals to focus on. When the two cases collide and Unity's life is threatened, they learn that sharing secrets is the safest way to stay alive.

Weather in Brisbane…

Hot, humid and sweat inducing. Clothes to wear? Bra and shorts. People to frighten in said ensemble? Many. Amarinda care factor? Negative 12.

Amarinda Stats…

People who came to the door today and I ignored: 2 (they know to ring before you lob in rule for god sake!)
Devoured today: (I expect to explode any moment now.)
- 1 bag of corn chips
- 2 cheese and vegemite scrolls
- 3 carrots
- 1 banana
- 4 Tim Tams (medicinal)
- 1 soon to be consumed bottle of plonk (also medicinal)
Loads of laundry – 4 (So Brynn what’s your count? http://brynnpaulin.blogspot.com)
Legible Christmas cards written – 3
Non-legible – 6
Cards sent – 9
Food cooked – zip
Words written - lots
Evil thoughts – 7
Good thoughts – 1.375

Anny has the blog serial and a cute xmas story on www.annycook.blogspot.com and Kelly - well gee, I know what she has on her blog but you're just going to have to go to www.kkirch.blogspot.com to see for yourself.

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

Sunday stuff...

Some people, who have never met me, seem to think I should have a husky or ‘smoky’ voice like Lauren Bacall or Kathleen Turner because of what I write. That’s funny. It’s weird the perceptions people have of us even via email. I don’t have a husky voice. My voice is pretty ordinary. I have been called ‘loud’ or ‘cold’ but not smoky. I was talking to Sara, my overseas work counterpart, the other day and she asked how old I was. I told her. She was amazed. No, I‘m not that old and anyway age is just a number. She said I thought you were about 22. So, see what I mean? People make judgments over the phone or mail and they are most amusing.

I looked up husky voices…there are all sorts of weird websites dedicated to husky voices. I saw the clipping below…

Career-driven women are lowering their voices to get ahead in the workplace and gain acceptance in a society that is still male-dominated, a study suggests.


"Women have been striving to attain acceptance in a previously male-dominated society and they may have lowered their tone to enter that realm.

"A deeper voice might be associated more with power."
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/femail/article.html?in_article_id=389130&in_page_id=1879

In my less than humble opinion this is a load of crap. Women get by in the workplace because they act smart. They use every feminine fiber in their being to get ahead. Look at me, I have every male in the office scared to death of me and my word is law. No one questions me or if they do they back down once I explain my point of view in polite, cool tones. Everyone knows how you get treated in life depends on your attitude. Act strong and people will be reluctant to push you. I do not believe the sound of your voice has anything to do with it. It’s all to do with the power of your mind. What do you think?


I am getting the driveway done tomorrow. Yes, it has been a saga and yes, I am bored to the back teeth with it too. But tomorrow is D-day. It’s not getting ripped up, its getting repaired and coated in the natural rock stuff. I am sure it has a technical term and I am sure I was told it but I like ‘natural rock stuff’ better. The best thing is I can drive over it when I get home from work. This makes my father exceedingly happy as he thinks leaving your car out in the street for one night means that everyone who has ever hated you will come and do something to your car. Wow, interesting thought. Might be worth leaving it out to see who turns up. Luckily I am not that paranoid.

As you know the blog serial is back Monday with Kelly on www.kkirch.blogspot.com. Anny had Emmeline being pierced on www.annycook.blogspot.com. The Perils of Pauline has nothing on our girl Emmeline. She has to get a break somehow.

Quote for the day – “How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world” – Anne Frank.

I know you are all champing at the bit for a glimpse of the next book from Anny Cook. Well champ no more…I present you an excerpt from Winter Hearts – released 12th December 2007 from Ellora’s Cave. Wander off to Anny’s website www.annycook.com and check out her book and especially the maps of Mystic Valley – fascinating.

Warning – this is an adult excerpt - get your fans ready.

In a relaxed lope he made his way back to the cabin, pausing at the edge of the woods to yank off his jeans, boots and shirt and stash them in the crotch of a tree limb. He stood there in the trees and stoked his abused length while he wondered what Unity was doing in his cabin. Maybe she was taking a shower. Maybe she was stretched out on the bed in naked splendor. What color were her nipples? Pink or Tan? He shook his head in self disgust. What did it matter? She was in the cabin because her life was in danger.

Then smoothly shifting form, he ambled across the clearing in front of the cabin, moved up the steps to the warm sunny porch floor and with relief curled up in front of the door. Nothing would be able to get past him without waking him up. Instantly, he slept dead to the world.

Seconds later—at least to his tired brain it seemed like seconds later—a shriek shrill enough to herald a five alarm fire echoed across the clearing. Blearily he raised his head and peered near-sightedly around. He needed to find whatever was making that god-awful noise and kill it.

Blam! Unity grabbed the book from the tray before she dropped it on the bear’s head. Then holding the book in both hands she proceeded to beat the bear about the head in a terrified frenzy, aiming especially for the nose. The more growling noises the bear made, the harder she swung her book while screeching at the top of her lungs, convinced that her life was in mortal danger.

“Help!”

Whap!

“Somebody help me!”

Crack!

Quill tried to capture her arms to keep her from hitting him.

Smack, smack, smack!

“Ooh, you nasty bear! Help!”

Quill was in exquisite agony. His nose burned like fire and one ear stung like the dickens. He felt his temper rising uncontrollably and shifted into human form without a thought. “Stop!” he bellowed angrily as he reached out and yanked her into his arms.

Before Unity had time to register the sudden mind boggling appearance of her naked host, he covered her open mouth with his, thrusting his tongue inside. A deathly hush fell over the clearing. She whimpered and wound her arms around his neck clutching him tightly. Their tongues dueled desperately as his hands slid down and curved around her ass.

As though that was the signal she was waiting for, she gave a little leap and wrapped her legs around his waist. Suddenly, Quill was struggling for balance with a clinging armful of wild woman.

Hey, Quill! Seems like now would be a good time to take that little gal inside! Tate’s rumbling amusement was clear.

Why’d you have to say that? Rack grumbled. I was hoping to see if his technique’s improved since he’s been living in the city.

Quill moved inside the cabin and kicked the door shut. Both of you shut up and keep your eyes open. He carried Unity across the room, reluctantly lifted his head and placed her on the bed before backing away.

“I knew there was something weird about you!”

His face flushed a ruddy red. “Yeah, well that’s not the half of it.”

“Why’d you stop?” she asked softly.

“Because now’s not the time,” he said evenly as he pulled a pair of dark gray boxers from the armoire and stepped into them before going into the bathroom to find a washcloth. He soaked it in cold water, wrung it out and gingerly pressed it against his swelling nose. A thin trickle of red covered his upper lip.

She rolled from the bed and went to stand in the bathroom doorway, watching him in the mirror. “I don’t suppose you’d like to explain how you can be a bear one minute and a man the next?”

“That’s the easy part,” he muttered through the folds of wet cloth. “I’m an angel on special assignment. One of the gifts God gave our unit is the ability to change shapes.”

Unity hooted. “Right! I give you points for creativity. What’s your next trick? Maybe an elephant or kangaroo?”

Seconds later the bathroom was filled with a baby rhino. The hard little stub where his horn would eventually grow grazed Unity’s arm. “Ho-ly—“

“Don’t say it,” he warned shifting back into his human form, irritated as he picked up the boxers and slipped them back on.

“That must be inconvenient,” she observed as she intently watched him stuff his rigid cock under the soft gray fabric. The cloth didn’t hide his condition and in a way actually looked more indecent than his former nudity. Then as she still had her eyes on the tent in his boxers, his cock popped out of the fly opening.

She licked her dry lips. It didn’t seem to help. “Wow! Is that real? Or is that part of the angel deal?”

Quill choked and groaned. “Unity! How about giving me a break here?”

“Well?” she demanded. “Is it? I think I’ve been pretty good about the whole shifting into a bear deal!”

“What you see is what you get!”

You do indeed...

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