Pagan Spirits

Miranda Lake's 'The Initiate' (Excerpt)

2012-01-30T08:33:00.001-05:00

This graphic comes courtesy of BookRiot. In case anyone's wondering, yes, I did read the entire Series of Unfortunate Events.

Lucy Felthouse of Writer Marketing Services sent me this excerpt - I hope you enjoy it!

The Initiate by Miranda Lake

Blurb:

The Lady Hysena Macarydias, teenage daughter of the most noble house of Qalle, finds her illusion of how life will be as an Initiate at the formidable Citadel utterly shattered.
The excesses of Father Tarrip, High Priest of the Holy Prophet , would be beyond the endurance of the terrified girls in his charge were it not for the efforts of Sister Maria, who as an Adept of the secretive and forbidden Society of T’arn, is able to control him – but only to a degree.

But Maria has concerns beyond the fate of the pampered young ladies of Qalle aristocracy; the delicately balanced peace between the warring nations is under threat, and the very future of the planet may be in her hands.

The struggle for control of Qalle is a secret one, known to only a few. Caught between the opposing factions are the innocent Initiates: Hysena, the beautiful, intelligent yet naive Lady; Jagdig, the formidable warrior girl of Kallinia; plump Princess Leel of Calith; tiny, demure Silka of Sis Narash and the others.

And, somewhere within the sprawling walls and forbidding towers of the ancient Citadel, are the Acolytes, male counterparts to the Initiates, who in the timeless manner of young men everywhere will undertake any risk if it may result in the chance to meet young women, even if that risk may result in disaster...

The world of Qalle is a world of cruelty, of pain, of punishment. A world of plot, counter-plot and intrigue, but which still allows time enough for love, tenderness and yearning desire.

First published some years ago, The Initiate by Miranda Lake is now available in downloadable form for the first time – one of the most erotic novels to be published this century.

Buy links:

All Romance E-Books

Amazon UK

Excerpt:

Xarrith was right, he reflected. Risk did make the blood sing, but what risk! He did not know what punishment would follow discovery on such an adventure, but had not been joking when he suggested to Xarrith that he feared for their very survival. His researches into the Citadel had offered hints of people entering the forbidding walls never to be seen or heard of again. Was a few hours of ecstasy worth possible death? As he watched the taller of the two naked girls, now lying on her back with her legs held high and wide by the one with the magnificent breasts and the holy sister bringing the tokan down directly on her spread vagina, he almost thought that it was.

As she plied the tokan between the open legs of Nephraan and heard her shrill scream as the whippy leather bit into her swollen labia, Sister Colya was wondering whether to order one (or both!) of the Initiates to lick her soaking cunt. With a grimace, she decided against this, knowing from experience that, while all of them would do this delightful service for each other, they hated to do it for their sister elder. Or at least this sister elder. She suspected that they showed no such reticence with Maria and felt a bitter pang of envy at the thought, bringing the tokan down with all her strength in her frustration.

Nephraan screamed even louder as the cruel device once again bit into her exposed sex.

The sound of the scream came clearly through the wall to the ears of the fascinated Tasnar. Unlike Xarrith who had seen punishments carried out on his people at home, in Sis Narash the though of treating another person in such a barbaric manner was anathema. He found the sight deeply shocking but even more exciting. Once again he applied his eye to the small hole in the ancient wall.

SOC Sunday: Relaxation Time

2012-01-29T08:14:00.000-05:00

Today’s Writing Prompt (via All.Things.Fadra): Describe, in detail, the way you like to relax. 5-minute free write.

My #1 favorite way to destress after a long day of writing, editing or publishing, which can be very brain-draining and frustrating, is with a game of Combine. Combine can be found at MindJolt Games on Facebook. Even though it's a video game, ot's not like the mindless video games I used to destress with after homework when I was a kid. It involces strategfy: different colors of balls fall, two at a time (at a pace you control, unlike Tetris) and you have to cmbine three of one color to make them all disappear. At first it seems really easy, but as they pile up, you have to be quite stratefic or you'll end the game.

My husband doesn't really like thta my destressing thing keeps me in front of the computer scroeen. Someimes I read a fun book (not one that I habe to review) instead. I've been really into Sherlock Holmes for fun lately. The most relazing place to read is our pontoon, which doesn't have a motor, so we use it as dock. It's winter, though, so the pntoon is frozen to the bank quite firmly now.

That's five minutes. As you can see, I clearly did not cheat and use spellcheck or do any editing.

Tales of an Animal Communicator - Master Teachers: book review by Carol Upton

2012-01-27T15:28:00.002-05:00

Tales of an Animal Communicator
Master Teachers
by Nancy A. Kaiser
Soft Cover, 2011, $16.95
Also available as an e-book
ISBN: 9-781-61364-586-4
Available on Amazon or
http://www.nancykaiseranimalcommunicator.com

Reviewed by Carol M. Upton

My hope for this book is that its characters and their tales will cause you to view your own animals with new eyes and with a new perspective about their significance to your life. Remember, they’ve answered your soul’s cries for help. So why not let them help?
~ Nancy A. Kaiser

In this first book of a series, Nancy A. Kaiser draws on her extensive experience to share her personal journey and anecdotes about the animals she has encountered along the way. The result is a spiritually uplifting book that inspires all who truly care about animals or are drawn to the world of interspecies communication.

Kaiser had imaginary conversations with animals as a child. In her adult work as a veterinary assistant, the animals she treated helped her realize that telepathic communicating was possible. She was guided to experiences that would develop her abilities and lead her to embrace her destiny – to help heal the human-animal bond.

We are introduced to Love, an exceptional filly born with curvature of the spine. Although she couldn’t stay on earth for long, Love’s story is one of unlimited possibility. Ongoing paths to transformation are provided by the myriad of Kaiser’s dogs and cats. There are other horses - Squiggles and her first foal, Dash, who later needed two surgeries, and Stormy, who offers powerful lessons of his own during training. Each chapter leaves a lasting impact on the reader’s heart.

Kaiser’s writing style is clear and compassionate. She includes vivid descriptions of her communications with animals – conversations that reveal their love, their fears, and their preferences. There is a companion CD or MP3 download to the book, entitled Gifts From the Universe, which contains the two releasing processes that form the final chapter of the book.

While the circumstances of Kaiser’s life form a fascinating backdrop for these tales, it is the animals themselves who are the real stars. They provide perspective and true partnership, if their humans are willing to receive what they offer to teach. Reading this book is the place to start that exploration. It will definitely introduce fresh dimensions for animal lovers everywhere.

Nancy A. Kaiser lives in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina with her two Labs and Swedish Warmblood horse, where she operates Just Ask Communications. Nancy is an ordained minister in the Universal Brotherhood Movement and works as a spiritual liaison for animals and their human companions, offering consultations via phone, email, Skype, or in person.

Photo taken by Seth Zeigler at the Nokota Horse Conservancy, Linton, North Dakota

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Drinkify: Brilliance or Balderdash?

2012-01-26T12:07:00.001-05:00

I owe this post to Little Luck Tree, a craft/art/beauty/truth blog by Shannon. It's a gorgeous blog and you should absolutely check it out; I especially loved her silver bullet werewolf necklace and vampire-bite necklace crafts.

Shannon also made me aware of Drinkify.org, which is either a work of sheer inspiration OR a really stupid time-wasting random generator.

Simply put, you tell Drinkify what music you're listening to, and it tells you what you should be drinking. (You're under no obligation to comply. It's actually more of a suggestion.) It also plays a sample of your music, with matching band graphic and album cover.

For example, I type in the late, great Etta James, and it tells me I should mix 2 oz. Hennessy, 2 oz. coconut milk and 1 oz. elderflower cordial in a highball glass, then garnish with cucumber. That seems appropriate.

(Obviously made by Americans, since the WHOLE REST OF THE WORLD pours drinks metrically.)

Suppose I were listening to Maroon 5 as I write this. (I am.) It would again suggest elderflower cordial, this time 10 oz., mixed with 10 oz. Glenmorangie Scotch (you may have some left over from your January 25th Burns Night Supper!) and 8 oz. club soda. I dunno - that one doesn't sound great to me. Plus, I thought there would be Manischewitz.

I don't think it quite nailed Lady Gaga either, suggesting vodka, neat, garnished with an olive. Surely something more theatrical would be more appropriate? Shouldn't it at least be birthday cake-flavored vodka, garnished with a burning glitter candle?

I typed in a few literary-themed bands, and this is what Drinkify suggested:

Shakespeare's Sister: vodka and cranberry juice

Moby: 6 oz. gin on the rocks

Poe: gin again, this time with Red Bull and lime juice, garnished with a maraschino cherry

(Red Bull is, in itself, a literary reference - to a character in Peter S. Beagle's The Last Unicorn. But I digress.)

So, is this thing brilliant, or is it just random?

Image: Rick A., Creative Commons license

WIP Wednesday

2012-01-25T06:43:00.021-05:00

Are you an author with a current work-in-progress you'd like to tease on a future WIP Wednesday? E-mail Erin O'Riordan: erinoriordan AT sbcglobal DOT net.

One of my current works in progress is a collaboration with Rushmore Judd. Its tentative title is The Spell You Cast. This may or may not be the final cover (without the watermark, of course):

The blurb: Troy falls for Madeline’s magic only to discover he is part of a much larger plan plotted by Madeline and her ‘sisters’. The sex is steamy as Troy’s infatuation with Madeline becomes deeper, even as she introduces him to the other women of her coven.

Through the end of February, you can get Rush's latest erotica e-book, The Director's Couch, free on Smashwords if you use the coupon code JK74J.

Review: Women in Lust ed. by Rachel Kramer Bussel

2012-01-24T06:58:00.021-05:00

I don't love every single story in this collection, but there are a few VERY good ones. The opener, by Portia Da Costa(*), gives us Terrence, one of those yummy fictional boyfriends I like to imagine myself with. "Her, Him and Them" by Aimee Pearl is wonderful because it's pure erotica, all want and sensation.

"Smoke" by Elizabeth Coldwell is another nice entry - I don't know why Dutch people are so sexy, but they certainly are (even if you're not a big fan of their cigarettes).

Editor Rachel Kramer Bussel contributes "Hot for Teacher," in which she deftly appropriates what was once a male fantasy for a self-confident 40-something woman. In fact, many of the stories in this anthology feature women in their forties, women who know exactly what they want and how to get it. I'm in my 30s, and I found this delightful. Self-confidence is incredibly sexy.

I was thisclose to naming Rachel Kramer Bussel one of my Hanukkah hotties last year. We're both contributors to SexIs Magazine; this is HER and this is ME.

Another story that subverts the traditionally male fantasy is "Cherry Blossom" by Kayar Silkenvoice, which explores the intercultural (American-Japanese) fantasy and an all-woman version of the happy ending massage.

The closer is "Comfort Food" by Donna George Storey, which can only be described as pure and utter deliciousness.

It's wonderful to read about women in lust - women who are bold, free, shameless (in a good way), women who know how to reach satisfaction. It's nice to read a book full of heroines unburdened by guilt, with very few obstacles between them and their fondest desires.

If you look closely, you'll see that the cover model looks like Kat Dennings, who plays Max on Two Broke Girls. My husband declares that the sitcom "sucks," but ya know what? I like it, and I especially like Max.

(*) The last book I read by Portia Da Costa was "An Appointment With Her Master," a short BDSM erotica e-book. My review on Amazon runs thus, "I've always found Portia da Costa to be an erotica writer worth seeking out, and this book was no exception. It's perfectly imagined, completely sexy and it ends quite happily. I don't think anyone who enjoys erotica will be disappointed by it, and those who enjoy BDSM with a dominant male will be especially pleased. I generally prefer female-dom, but I really liked this. What else can I say about it, except that it was perfect? The only way it could have been better would be if it were slightly longer."

Disclosure: I received Women in Lust from the publisher at no cost. I can't remember how I received "An Appointment With Her Master," but I believe I downloaded the e-book at a time when it was offered free of cost on Amazon. This review represents my honest opinion of both books.

Images: © 2005 by Tomasz Sienicki [user: tsca, mail: tomasz.sienicki at gmail.com] - Creative Commons; Kate Tegtmeyer - Creative Commons; Ed Van-West Garcia - Creative Commons

Make Way for the Year of the Dragon

2012-01-23T07:31:00.056-05:00

Today marks the first day of the Chinese New Year, and it is now the Year of the Dragon according to the Chinese zodiac.

There are five different kinds of Years of the Dragon: Earth, Fire, Metal, Water and Wood. 2012 is a Year of the Water Dragon; the previous Year of the Dragon, in 2000, was Metal. Metal dragons are the strongest of all dragons, so people born in 2000 (Chinese astrology goes) are natural-born leaders. Those born in the year of the water dragon (the last cohort was born in 1952, the year both of my parents were born) are calm and take a balanced approach to life, seeing things from multiple points of view.

All dragons, including those born in '64, '76 and '88, are said to be hard-working and independent. They'll help you, but rarely ask for any help in return. They may have colorful personalities that attract others to them, but deep down, all dragons prefer to be alone.

It may help to know that in East Asia, dragons are rarely vilified as they are in Western culture. According to David Colbert's The Magical Worlds of Harry Potter, Asian dragons are typically benevolent, "though sometimes bossy." One such benevolent dragon is Haku in Spirited Away.

The West is coming around to the idea that dragons might be misunderstood creatures, though. The wizards and witches in J.K. Rowling's novels consider them worthy of study, and they're appalled at the mistreatment of the Gringott's dragon. (Some might still call the use of dragons in the Triwizard Tournament rather exploitative.) Christopher Paolini's Inheritance series, Patricia C. Wrede's Enchanted Forest Chronicles and Cressida Cowell's How to Train Your Dragon series all feature heroic dragons.

Dragon shape-shifters are also counted among the immortal hotties in Gena Showalter and Jill Monroe's Dating the Undead, a comic guide to vampires, zombies and other immortals out there in the dating pool.

Katie MacAlister, who was born in the 1964 Year of the Dragon, has written not one, not two, but three paranormal romance series featuring dragon shifters (technically, they share the same general cast of characters and take place in the same world): the Aisley Grey, Guardian series, the Silver Dragons series and the Light Dragons series. A dragon shifter tale called "Perils of Effrijim" appears in the anthology Death's Excellent Vacation.

1964 was the Year of the Wood Dragon, and appropriately, wood dragons are highly creative and must express their artistic side.

Just don't be like Homer Simpson. If a dragon asks for your airline peanuts, give him or her the entire bag - or you'll break the dragon's heart. The dragons will cry rainbow tears and sing about it accompanied by a traditional Chinese stringed instrument (the erhu).

Introducing, for the first time at Pagan Spirits, Stream of Consciousness Sunday

2012-01-22T07:54:00.000-05:00

I stumbled across All.Things.Fadra the other day, and I thought Stream of Conscious Sunday - a prompt for five minutes of free writing - seemed like an interesting idea. I thought I'd try it at least once and see how it goes.

Today’s Writing Prompt: How did you spend your Sunday mornings growing up? What are some of your favorite memories?

When I was growing up, I had to go to church every Sunday morning. It wasn't typically something I enjoyed, except for the year I made my confirmation in the Catholic church, when I was an eighth grader. I went through a phase when I was convicted about my faith then. It didn't stick, though. This was shortly before I looked at the family tree in the front of the family bible and discovered that Mom and I were of Jewish descent. Being multicultural then made me question whether I could remain faithful to any one religion when, apparently, I was supposed to be given choices. It set me on the path to my current state of embracing parts of Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism and the Pagan Wheel of the Year with a "take what you need and leave the rest" attitude.

Before church, it was time for Sunday morning cartoons, and when I was a kid that meant Hanna Barbera. I think the Flintstones were part of the line-up, but that wasn't my favorite. I preferred Josie and the Pussycats, Jabber Jaw or the one with the cave people and their pet dinosaur - yeah, that sounds like the Flintstones too, but this one wasn't a comedy. I think it was actually set in the future. It looked like the moon was broken, which always freaked me out a little.

For the rules and the linky, please visit All.Things.Fadra.

Post-stream of consciousness, I looked it up: the show I'm talking about is called The Herculoids. It was produced from 1967-69, but all of the cartoons I watched as a kid on Sunday mornings in the '80s were already old reruns.

Books Celebrating the Strength and Creative Spirit of Etta James

2012-01-20T16:28:00.000-05:00

I first heard the sad news here from Rhetta Akamatsu: legendary pop/rhythm and blues singer Etta James passed away earlier today after suffering from leukemia.

Some day I really, really need to read T'Ain't Nobody's Business If I Do: Blues Women Past and Present by Rhetta Akamatsu. Etta James is the subject of Chapter 13. Nineteen other women are featured in the book, starting with Mamie Smith, Ma Rainey and Bessie Smith and finishing with Koko Taylor.

My all-time favorite rock book is She's A Rebel: The History of Women in Rock & Roll by Gillian G. Gaar. (I own the original 1992 edition and the expanded 2002 edition - the true book nerd must buy the expanded version of a book she already owns.) Gaar places James in the "Roots" chapter. Gaar writes:

"Etta James was another performer with roots in the R&B scene who eventually found success on the pop charts. Born Jamesetta Hawkins in 1938 in Los Angeles, James sang in the church choir as a child. She later moved to San Francisco with her mother and in her teens formed a vocal trio with her sisters Abbye and Jean Mitchell. The trio auditioned for Johnny Otis...and Otis brought them to L.A., where he had the girls record a song they had written, 'Roll With Me Henry.'"

The song was released in 1955, and in 1960 she moved to Chess Records, where she recorded her first Top 40 hit, "All I Could Do Was Cry." Considered racy by '50s standards, "Roll With Me Henry" was re-recorded as "Dance With Me Henry" by another performer, Georgia Gibbs.

Going on tour was James' first encounter with the brutally-enforced segregation of the American South, Gaar writes. She was once threatened with a shotgun for refusing to use a bug-infested "Colored" bathroom. She only escaped by apologizing to the man who pulled the gun on her.

Not that it was in James' nature to submit. She told Rolling Stone in 1997, "I've had people say to me, 'Can't you be more feminine? I would go, 'Feminine? Why do I have to be feminine?' Does that mean I have to put a little apron on and bake some cookies or something?" James also said she was a feminist before she knew what the word meant.

Gutsy, rebellious, unabashedly sexual, unique and undoubtedly talented, Etta James will be missed by music-lovers and by those who look up to strong women.

Some of you will watch Cadillac Records in her honor. You may recall that James was miffed that Beyonce, who portrayed her in the film, performed her signature song "At Last" at the inaugural ball for President Barack Obama when James herself was available to do so. She seemed to have forgiven Lady B, though. (According to the Rolling Stone interview, James was a fan of Mary J. Blige's style, and not-so-much of Toni Braxton's breathy voice.) So I don't think James would be offended if you do.

Just remember what I said in "5 Dudes," though - Adrian Brody enacts ethnic stereotypes in his role as Leonard Chess. Don't think that I endorse said stereotypes.

I do, however, heartily endorse interracial snogging in films.

Images: Roland Godefroy (Creative Commons); public domain; Louis Ramirez (Creative Commons)

No More Content Warning

2012-01-19T10:37:00.000-05:00

I took the content warning off Pagan Spirits this morning. I occasionally post public domain images - or images used with the permission of their creators - which contain nudity. Often, these are images of classical art. I have never been notified of anyone having been offended by them. Besides, I get most of them through Wikimedia Commons, which has no content warning. Anyone can view the same images there.

Adult themes, including erotic novels, are discussed on this blog - sometimes, but not always. I also discuss young adult and children's books, too. I welcome guest bloggers on all book-related topics, whether the book is geared toward an adult or teen audience. I recommend this blog for readers 18 and older because of the links to books that contain adult content, but I trust my readers to decide for themselves whether they want to visit my blog or not.

But I hope you do.

I get a little disappointed when potential guest bloggers say, "Your blog is not appropriate for me - it has an adult content warning." It's not a porn site; it's a book site written by a college-educated erotica and crime fiction author who was raised in a Catholic household. Many who were scared off by the content warning would be pleasantly surprised by the actual content.

Therefore, no more content warning. Come on in and discuss literature with me.

You may also notice a new feature on this blog: the CafePress widget. I won't insert it into every single post, but occasionally I will use it if I come across CafePress stuff that matches the themes of a blog post - and if I think it's cool stuff. CafePress has a lot of nice Pagan/Wiccan things, especially.

This is an example of the widget:

Make Custom Gifts at CafePress

Click through; it contains products featuring some absolutely beautiful absinthe "green fairy" artwork.

WIP Wednesday Strikes Again - What are YOU Writing?

2012-01-18T07:15:00.017-05:00

Authors, would you like to share approximately 100-200 words about a current work in progress on a future WIP Wednesday? If so, please e-mail the details to erinoriordan AT sbcglobal DOT net.

Erin O'Riordan: This is the beginning of one of my current works in progress - romance, not erotica, this time. I was planning on having this polished up and ready to submit by the end of January, but the deadline got moved forward to April 1st. I've also been working on one called "Sheep Shifter" this week (definitely due Feb. 1) and another (already accepted) called "Aftercare."

Excerpt:

Eric sat on the long bench of dark wood, its seat worn smooth by heavy traffic. He sat alone, which only underscored to him that whatever the Queen had to say to him, it had to be important. Queen Jasmine rarely had the opportunity to clear her schedule.

To his left, the heavy door built of the same dark wood at the bench was flanked by two members of the palace guard, dressed in Avalonia’s traditional black and white uniforms. The baroque garments of velvet, satin, lace and hosiery surely looked rather ridiculous to an outsider, but never failed to make Eric proud of his fiercely independent nation and its ancient heritage. Besides, when two men were as tall, muscular and generally dangerous-looking as the two members of the guard currently on duty, no one would dare make fun.

The doors opened, and a prim-looking young woman with short hair, wearing a dress accented with a red satin rose, stood in the doorway. “Eric de la Fontaine, Her Majesty’s minister of finance,” she announced in the clipped, upper-class accent of the Avalonian capital, Givene. He took his briefcase from where it sat between his feet, rose and approached the woman. She turned, and Eric knew he was to follow her.

The Queen, a dignified, petite olive-skinned woman of about fifty-five with intense hazel eyes, sat in an ergonomic chair behind a long table. She wore her long, black pulled back in a tight French braid and dressed in a sensible gray wool suit with a skirt that reached just below her knees.

Eric bowed his head respectfully. “Good afternoon, Your Majesty.”

“There’s no need to be formal, Eric,” she responded. “I haven’t called you here to talk to you about the affairs of state. I’ve come to talk to you about a personal matter. Please, have a seat.” The Queen’s assistant pulled out a chair across from the Queen, nodded, and returned to her small desk beside the door. Eric placed his briefcase on the table.

“A personal matter, Your Majesty?” he asked as he sat.

An attendant, a young man with shockingly red hair, brought the queen a decanter of Scotch, a dish of ice and two glasses on a tray. The attendant added ice to each tumbler, then poured a generous portion of the amber liquid over it. He served the Queen first, then Eric. Eric nodded to indicate his thanks. As the Queen took a long sip of her drink, Eric nipped at his. It was stronger than he typically liked to imbibe this early in the afternoon. He leaned back in his chair and tried to relax, although he felt a surge of anxiety.

“As you know, Eric, my third daughter Evangeline is almost twenty-one. She’s a strong, responsible girl, and soon I’ll want to abdicate my throne to her.”

When she paused, Eric broke in, “It’s far too soon to think about abdication, Your Majesty.”

She smiled. “It’s true that I come from a line of long-lived queens, but I don’t want to be stuck in this official life forever. Honored as I am to fulfill my hereditary position, I truly cannot envision serving Avalonia from behind this desk for the rest of my days. I want to spend time with my husbands, directly involved in our favorite charities. But before my crown princess can become queen, I want to make sure she has her household in order. She needs at least one husband.”

Eric swallowed hard. “Yes, Your Majesty,” the minister agreed, taking a sip of his Scotch. “As I am sure you’re aware, Her Highness is in love with a friend of mine, the Irish banker John Gabriel.” He smiled slightly. He was a bit jealous, of course. Crown Princess Evangeline was a lovely young woman, a favorite of paparazzi the world over.

The Queen shook her head. “I’m sure Gabriel is a fine man. But he’s an Irish citizen, and out of the country half of the time on business. Traditionally, the queen’s first husband is either native-born or royalty. Gabriel will make a fine second or third husband.” She finished her drink and set the glass on the tray. “Eric, you’re not married, are you?”

Eric’s heart leapt. He answered in a trembling voice, “No, Majesty.”

“Please forgive me, Eric. I don’t mean to be so personal, but I must know: do you have a lover?”

He blushed slightly. At one time, he had been the lover of the queen’s eldest daughter Morgan. That was long before Morgan married her two husbands, and Eric had been without female companionship for longer than he cared to remember. “No, Majesty.”

“Do you have any children?”

“No, Majesty.” He felt certain he must be blushing a deep red, if not the color of a beet. It was not every day that one had one’s personal life so closely scrutinized by the head of state.

The Queen seemed a bit surprised, arching her black eyebrows slightly, but continued. “If my Evangeline agrees, will you marry her?”

He froze, considering his answer carefully. When the Queen had asked for him that morning, he was expected her to ask him to head off some minor financial crisis. Never, in his wildest flights of fancy, did he consider having to answer this particular question. He reached for his drink, drained it down to the ice cubes and made up his mind.

Anybody have an idea for a title?

New 'Heartache' anthology out from eXcessica; sale at Melange Books

2012-01-16T13:09:00.000-05:00

I'm pleased to announce the eXcessica Publishing's semi-annual erotica anthology is out, and once again it contains an Erin O'Riordan. This original, never-before published story is called "The Witch's Tale." It has a witch - and werewolves! The anthology's title, and theme, is Heartache.

A snippet of "The Witch's Tale:"

...At the darkest hour of the night, all the wolves seemed to go away. Except one. His howling kept me awake. I went to my window and looked; it was a big brown male with honey-colored eyes.
I went to the door and opened it. "Come in, Milos," I said.

The big wolf trotted in and lay on the rug in front of my fireplace, whining. I brought him the remains of the bread I’d eaten for dinner (unlike the wolves, I ate no meat). He ate the bread. I sat beside him and stroked his fur until he fell asleep.

I fell asleep stroking the wolf. I awoke to find the fire had died out, and I was lying on the floor with only a naked, sleeping Milos to keep me warm.

"I was lonely," he said when he woke up. "I am alone in my den now. You were always kind to me and my people."

"You’re welcome to visit," I said, staring hard at the pattern on the rug and trying not to see his well-muscled body.

"I want to stay," he said.

"I don’t think you should," I said, drawing my conclusions about his intentions. "Milos, you’ll find another mate. One of your own people. A woman who can give you children that are like you."

"I know," he said. "But it will be many seasons before another single female becomes mature. I can’t wait that long. I got too used to Svjetlana, and then the babies, lying beside me. I won’t stay forever. Only let me stay for a few nights."

He lifted my chin so that I stared into his honey-colored eyes. They were both innocent and wild, sad and hopeful. I wanted to comfort him, especially after all the times I failed to help him. Still touching my face, he brought his lips to mine.

The gesture stunned me; in truth, it was my first kiss. I’d devoted so much of my life to aiding the sick and injured on this strange isle, I’d neglected finding a mate of my own. Milos, however, seemed to know exactly what he was doing. His thumb stroked my cheek as he kissed me, his tongue begging entrance into my mouth. The effect of his naked body, so near to me and so affectionate, was dizzying. I wasn’t thinking straight; it was as if I’d swallowed one of my medicines. Milos wanted more…and so did I. I parted my lips.

The official blurb: "Erotic, romantic, poignant and wistful, this anthology collection from Excessica authors will thrill you, touch you, and stay with you. These stories dare to explore the pleasure and pain of a lover gone, the one that got away, the forbidden affair, a true love existing on borrowed time. These are tales of passionate affairs that cannot last, but they are exquisite gems while they do, and like the star that burns brightest, these stories burn fast, dazzle and smolder in the memory."

Heartache is my 6th anthology with eXcessica. I also wrote stories in:

Divine Matches

Happy Endings

Love Bound

Strange Love

Wonder

Sale at Melange Books: For the month of January, take 10% off every e-book at Melange Books, in honor of the publisher's first anniversary! That includes books by Erin O'Riordan: the crime thriller The Smell of Gas and the Hearts of Tomorrow anthology, which contains my take on the French fairy tale of Melusine.

To get the e-book discount, use the promo code 4P096350 at check-out.

"Susie White and the Right Hand Man" by Lucy Felthouse

2012-01-13T07:23:00.021-05:00

A wedding, an evil plan, a love story and a sacrifice are the order of the day in this modern retelling of Snow White and the Huntsman.

Susie White and her stepmother-to-be have never seen eye to eye, despite all of Susie’s best efforts to be friendly. Eager not to spoil her father’s happiness, Susie still agrees to be bridesmaid at their wedding. When the big day comes, she meets Louise’s right hand man, Scott. Susie had never believed in love at first sight until that moment. The pair hit it off, sharing a mutual dislike of Louise and her wicked ways. Their camaraderie quickly develops into something more, and they date in secret until it’s time for Susie to leave for University – and freedom. Unfortunately, Scott has an earth-shattering revelation, which means the two of them of them must work together to unravel Louise’s evil plan, before it’s too late.

More info and buy links: http://lucyfelthouse.co.uk/published-works/susie-white-and-the-right-hand-man/

Excerpt:

I should have known my stepmother was up to something when she offered to help me move all my stuff to my University digs. It wasn’t like her to be civil, much less helpful, but I figured that she was happy I was moving hundreds of miles away, and therefore would do anything to make sure it happened as quickly as possible.

As my father’s only child, I’m the sole heir to White’s Bites, a massively profitable confectionary company based in Wiltshire, England. My stepmother had made no secret of the fact she resented that she wouldn’t get a stake in the business, should anything happen to my father. Of course, the reason for this was that my father knew the first thing the witch would do was put the business on the market to get her greedy little hands on the cash. I, on the other hand, loved White’s Bites and would continue to run it to the best of my ability.

We’d never seen eye to eye, my stepmother and I. However, it wasn’t the usual ‘child resents someone trying to replace their parent’ syndrome, it was her that resented me.

My mom had died of cancer when I was fifteen. My father and I were devastated, as you’d expect, but I’d always urged him to get on with his life. After all, it’s what mom would have wanted, and I certainly didn’t want my dad to be lonely when I got married and left home.

So, a couple of years later, when dad met Louise and they started dating, I was thrilled. He was happy, therefore so was I. Soon it became more serious and dad wanted me to meet her. I was excited, but nervous.

When the time came and Louise had walked into our house, I’d been in awe. Don’t get me wrong, my mom had been beautiful, but in a natural way, as if she didn’t realise, or care. But Louise clearly did. Her gorgeous hair was perfectly quaffed, and her attractive features were enhanced by expertly applied makeup. Her outfit looked like something from a fashion magazine. I managed to pull myself together before she saw me standing there, all slack-jawed and stupid-looking. Walking towards her, I’d held out a hand.

“Louise!” I’d said, beaming, “I’m so pleased to finally meet you. Dad’s told me so much about you.”

She’d smiled thinly and without any real emotion. “Charmed, I’m sure, Susan.” She’d shaken my hand gingerly, as though she was afraid she’d catch something. I’d half expected her to wipe her hand on her clothes afterwards.

“Oh please, call me Susie.” I’d said, ignoring her odd behaviour. I’d been eager to get on with the woman, knowing it would please my father. “Everyone does.”

Another tight-lipped smile. I’d tried hard to make conversation with her and make her feel comfortable in our home. But I never felt like I was succeeding. At first, I put it down to her being nervous or shy, but as weeks and months passed, I still never felt as though Louise warmed to me. I never bothered my father with my concerns. After all, as long as she liked him, what did it matter?

While Louise and my father were just dating, things weren’t too bad. They went to restaurants, the theatre, the cinema, and so on. I didn’t see her very often, and therefore didn’t have to put up with her frosty behaviour towards me.

Naturally, everything changed when dad told me he was going to ask Louise to marry him. He’d sat me down to break the news – fortunately – and I’d done my best to act delighted. Luckily, dad hadn’t noticed anything was amiss, and as he’d chatted about ceremonies, honeymoons and Louise moving in, a cold shiver had run up my back. This could not end well.

More info and buy links: http://lucyfelthouse.co.uk/published-works/susie-white-and-the-right-hand-man/

Lucy is a graduate of the University of Derby, where she studied Creative Writing. During her first year, she was dared to write an erotic story - so she did. It went down a storm and she's never looked back. Lucy has had stories published by Cleis Press, Constable and Robinson, House of Erotica, Noble Romance, Ravenous Romance, Summerhouse Publishing, Sweetmeats Press and Xcite Books. She is also the editor of Uniform Behaviour and Seducing the Myth. Find out more at http://www.lucyfelthouse.co.uk. You can also find her on Facebook and Twitter. You can also subscribe to her newsletter at: http://eepurl.com/gMQb9

WIP Wednesday with Amber Lea Easton, Romantic Suspense Author

2012-01-11T06:54:00.006-05:00

Authors, would you like to share approximately 100-200 words about a current work in progress on a future WIP Wednesday? If so, please e-mail the details to erinoriordan AT sbcglobal DOT net.

Amber Lea Easton: I'm working on a WIP that I'm really excited about. It's definitely a work in progress at this stage--only 100 pages written but flowing fluidly. Although I'm a published romantic suspense author, this is going to be more of a Jodi Picoult-type book--definitely not a happy ending but filled with suspense.

Little Earthquakes Chapter One (partial)

Bloodstains remained on the hardwood floor despite the endless bottles of bleach and hours of scrubbing. Someone—maybe her mother—had bought a shag rug to cover it. She nudged the corner with her toe.

The house reverberated with emptiness despite the people gathered downstairs, talking about her life as if it were an impersonal news story. And the questions, the endless questions…as if she had any answers. Ten days ago her life had been whole, maybe not perfect but definitely whole. Family trip to Hawaii: snorkeling with sea turtles, Mai Tais in the moonlight, beach walks with the family…and she had been clueless the entire time.

Sure there had been trouble, but that was why they had gone on the trip. De-stress, reconnect, all the buzzwords she had used in desperation of holding the family together.

Lesson learned: buzzwords sucked.

Fingertips traced the top of the dresser, mind lost in all that had been and would never be. Teeth bit into her lip. Body shook with restrained emotion. Every ounce of strength had propelled her through the day, had held her up while she spoke at her husband’s funeral, had dragged one foot in front of the other as she guided her children down the church aisle.

And it wasn’t over; this was the threshold.

There hadn’t been a moment of peace since Marshall had pulled the trigger and blown his face off right in front of her. Chunks of his skull had embedded themselves in her hair, blood had roped across the bed like insane silly string and his body had crumbled where she now stood dressed in a black funeral dress.

She could still hear it…the gun going off, the kids screaming, “daddy, daddy” from the doorway…could still feel the disbelief gripping her mind, could still feel his lifeless body beneath her hands as she had knelt over him and begged him to stay alive.

“People are asking about you,” her mother said from the doorway. “You need to—”

“I know, I know, I know…” she rubbed her hands over her hair.

“Riana? Are you okay?” Her mother took a step inside the room.

Okay? Hell no. Her husband had killed himself five days ago. Of course she wasn’t okay. She doubted she even knew what that word meant anymore.

“I’ll be down in a minute,” she said.

“We’re all taking this hard, you know.” There it was, the accusation that maybe—just maybe—she should feel guilty for grieving her husband.

“I know.”

“There are a lot of people here. You need—” “I need everyone to stop telling me what I need and let me take care of myself and my kids.” An overwhelming desire to slam her hand into the mirror quaked through her. “Just go. I said I’d be down in a minute.”

She wanted to throw up, curl into a ball on the bathroom floor and escape into numbness. But that wasn’t allowed, not here with these people. That would be seen as weak, as less than whatever the hell it was they thought she should be. As far as she could tell, there wasn’t a manual on how to survive this, let alone how to act on a minute-to-minute basis.

“You don’t need to be bitchy. This is a tough day for everyone. We all loved Marshall.”

“Believe me, I wouldn’t want to make it harder on you or anyone else, that’s for damn sure.” Back to her mother, she stared at Marshall’s truck in the driveway.

If only she could have one more conversation, one more chance to understand, one more…anything. One more kiss. One more hug. One more knock-down-scream-the-walls-down argument.

“People are here to see you, Riana. You have a responsibility as the widow.”

Widow. Silently, she repeated the word, tried it out in her mind…it didn’t fit. Widow. She cringed at the word. Too young. Only thirty-seven. Widow. The sound of it twisted the knife deeper into her heart.

Blowing out a long breath, she squeezed her eyes closed and summoned more strength to keep standing. She heard her mother stir behind her, approach without touching and then leave.

Hands shaking, she grabbed one of his sweaters he had left hanging on the chair and held it against her chest. Even now she expected to hear his voice any moment, see him walking from the shower wondering what all the chaos was about, see his quick smile and feel his hands move over her arms.

But none of those things would happen ever again.

She pulled the sweater over the dress and walked downstairs. One foot in front of the other. Forward momentum.

In-laws, friends, relatives, and various acquaintances filled the house. Raised voices from the kids outside confirmed their whereabouts. She paused at the picture window on the landing to look at her two children, only 7 and 8, who played in their church clothes as it this were only a big party instead of a memorial for their father. And she prayed and prayed and prayed that they would survive this trauma without too many scars.

“I don’t know what to say, Riana. I…if there is anything we can do for you…anything…” A hand closed over her shoulder.

“Thank you.” She looked into the eyes of Marshall’s friend Ron. “I appreciate it.”

He rocked back on his heels as if he wanted to say more but lacked the courage. She stared him down; waiting for a confession that he had known what Marshall was capable of, that he knew the why. Tears filled Ron’s eyes. With a shake of his head, he backed down a few steps before retreating completely.

Coward, she thought. Looking around the room she wondered who amidst this group knew the why. She didn’t. She had no idea. Well, maybe she suspected, but she didn’t know the facts. She didn’t know the real reason why.

As if dragging her legs through mud, she walked to the corner with a good view of the yard.

“Big group.” Jenna, an old friend from high school, leaned against the wall next to her. “Want a glass of wine?”

“Desperately.”

“Thought so.” Jenna handed her a full glass of white wine. “Do you even know half of these people? It’s like the whole town has shown up.”

“I know.” Both palms cupped the wine glass. “Terri Reynolds even asked me if I was getting life insurance because of the suicide. I have maybe had two conversations with the woman in my entire life.” Her laugh sounded as brittle as she felt. “And look at Marshall’s family from San Diego. In the ten years we’ve lived in this house, they have never bothered to visit. Now here they are, acting like hosts. His uncle even asked me for a tour of the place.”

“A tour?” Jenna snorted. “I caught your cousin what’s-her-name coming out of your bedroom earlier. She snapped at me to leave her alone.”

“My room? No one is supposed to be in there.”

“I told her that. I think she is trying to communicate with his spirit or something.”

“Whack job,” she muttered before taking a long sip of the wine. “She met him once last Christmas and then again this Easter. Total. She didn’t know him.” Her entire vibrated with the realization that most of the people here were mere acquaintances, that none of them really knew the family at all. Marshall had been her best friend. Not only had they married and raised a family together, they had also worked together. Other people hadn’t been a priority.

Jenna laid her hand on hers. “It’s okay, Riana. I shouldn’t have mentioned Piper. She’s—“

“We’re all subject for gossip now, aren’t we?”

The wine glass crashed to the floor.

She squatted down to pick up the shards while blinking back the tears that wanted to flow. Helping hands echoed her motions on the hardwood floor, murmured words of encouragement fluttered into her consciousness.

“Mom, can we go to the rec room?” Her daughter Vanessa’s shoes crunched on the one remaining piece of glass. Blond, blue-eyed, tanned and flawless, Vanessa grinned. “I want to show Sara the air hockey table dad set up.”

She doesn’t get it, the thought whispered through her mind. Leaving the mess to Jenna, she squeezed Vanessa’s shoulders.

“Sure. You go.”

“Shouldn’t the kids be changing clothes?” The cousin in question stepped to her side. “I can help them, watch them, make sure—”

“They’re fine. Let them play.” She looked at Piper. “I heard you were in my room.”

“This is all so difficult for me.” Piper’s eyes liquefied in an instant. “It’s bringing up so much from grandpa’s death, my dad’s death, my brother…you know. I have had so much grief in my life. I just—”

“My bedroom is off-limits.”

“I wanted to be close to Marshall.” She tossed a strand of bleach blonde hair from her face and blinked at the tears.

You want to be immersed in the drama, she wanted to say but didn’t.

“Be close to him somewhere else,” she said through clenched teeth.

“And don’t worry about what people are saying.” Piper squeezed her upper arm. “You’ll be fine.”

“What are people saying?” she asked Jenna after Piper walked away.

“Do you really care?”

“Riana,” a woman she recognized as one of Marshall’s patients wrapped her arms around her, “I am so sorry. What are you going to do?”

Do? Stand here. Survive today. Survive tomorrow.

“I couldn’t believe it when I heard.” The woman held on, her voice slurred with either alcohol or tears. “You’ll have to close the practice. What a tragedy for everyone. How could he be so selfish?”

“Why would she close the practice?” Jenna asked.

She broke free of the woman’s clutches, her mind struggling to remember her name and concentrate on her words.

“Obviously that’s the only choice.” The woman’s voice lowered to a whisper. “It doesn’t invoke confidence when the most reputable psychiatrist in town kills himself. I doubt—”
“I need some air, excuse me.”

She half-stumbled, half-ran to the deck. Hands clenched the railing, face lifted toward the sun, lungs struggled for breath. Close the practice. She hadn’t even considered such a thing. They were both psychiatrists. What was her fate now? Lose the husband, lose the career…what next?

“Who cares? I care.”

“What?” She blinked, startled by the comment.

Marshall’s biological father stood behind her, face twisted into a sneer. Winston Warren hadn’t spoken to his son in over three years, yet here he stood acting like a victim for all to see.

“Never say I didn’t care,” he muttered.

“I didn’t say it.”

“Bitch.” With that, he walked back into the house.

“Riana,” someone called her name but she ignored it.

She walked down the deck stairs, onto the grass and toward the stream. Fallen leaves crunched beneath her feet. Aspen and pine trees stretched toward a flawless blue sky. Air smelled like late autumn, crisp and rich.

Numb, she sank onto a rock, squeezed her eyes closed, wrapped the sweater tight around her, inhaled the sweet mountain air, and listened to the garbled whispers of the river.

“Damn you, Marshall,” she whispered, mouth wet with tears. “Why did you leave us?”

Diamond Head Image: VideoFrog, Creative Commons license
White wine: Tim Parkinson, Creative Commons license
Autumn aspens: © Andrew Dunn, 1992, Creative Commons license

Amber Lea's website, blog, Bookstrand page, Twitter and Facebook

Kick-Ass Heroines

2012-01-09T06:47:00.013-05:00

Juliet Capulet: for centuries, the heroine of Shakespeare’s tragedy has been defined in terms of her relationship to Romeo Montague. She is the pursued, the beloved, the object. He is active, the pursuer, the lover. The most decisive thing Juliet does in the play is commit suicide. She doesn’t even get first billing in the title.

Along came Stacey Jay, whose paranormal young adult novel Juliet Immortal cast Juliet Capulet in an entirely new light. Suddenly, Juliet had a personality, a consciousness, thoughts and opinions and the ability to tell her story in her own words. According to this Juliet, Shakespeare got it wrong - way wrong. Although she loved Romeo when she secretly married him, but by the end of their honeymoon night, Juliet had good reason to hate Romeo Montague forever. They were not dead by their own hands, but rather given an immortality in which Juliet was a sort of cosmic bodyguard, sent through time to save pairs of lovers whom Romeo would try to rip apart.

Jay allowed Juliet a full range of emotions above and beyond fawning over a hot guy. Her Juliet has pent-up rage, even murderous impulses, tempered with a basic goodness and sense of duty. She has little reason to believe in true love, yet it’s the very thing she’s sworn to protect. She’s complicated. She has better days and worse days. Her emotions are realistic.

This is not to say that female authors can write a kick-ass teenage heroine better than male authors can. Consider the examples of two fictional teenage girls forced to become warriors when war broke out in their once-peaceful homes. One is Scarlett O’Hara, heroine of Margaret Mitchell’s 1930s masterpiece Gone With the Wind.

Before the Civil War broke out, Scarlett’s biggest concerns were boys and parties. She’s a smart young woman, but thinks it’s “cute” to play down her intelligence. For a while, she saw the war as the dreadful thing that forced her to be a nurse and wear widow’s clothes when she only wanted to wear bright colors and dance. Once the Yankees burned Atlanta, something inside her snapped. Scarlett’s fierce determination to “never go hungry again” hardened her. Some might say she went from a thoughtless young woman to a heartless one. Love her or hate her, by the middle of the book, Scarlett will do anything to survive.

Scarlett’s more modern counterpart is 17-year-old Irena Zaric in Scott Simon’s novel Pretty Birds. She loves to play basketball, hang out with her friend Amela, sneak around with boys, listen to Madonna and watch Johnny Depp movies when the Bosnian Civil War hits her home of Sarajevo. Like Scarlett, she’s forced to starve. Her family lives in the ruined remains of her grandmother’s apartment building, where they crawl on the ground like crabs to avoid becoming targets for snipers.

Like Scarlett, Irena makes a hard decision to survive: she becomes a sniper herself, learning how to use a rifle. She shoots at the teenage boys, classmates only days before, who have become soldiers. She kills young women not unlike herself, only they happen to be Serbs and she is a Muslim. Still, she never becomes heartless. The one thing Irena will never do is betray a friend.

Written seven decades apart, one by a Southern belle who wrote to avoid boredom while recovering from a broken leg and the other by a Chicago journalist who witnessed the war firsthand, these very different novels tell the same story. To write a kick-ass heroine, you must capture all sides of her, the good and the bad. If everybody loves her all the time, why is she interesting? The reader needs to know what makes her angry, what can push her over the edge, what she hates as well as what she loves...and who loves her. To write a kick-ass heroine, you first have to discover the human being.

Images: Juliet by John William Waterhouse is in the public domain.
Retouched photo from Gone With the Wind is in the public domain within the U.S.

Let Me Help You Celebrate National Man Watcher's Day!

2012-01-08T13:20:00.000-05:00

What - you've never heard of National Man Watcher's Day?! Jace Shoemaker-Galloway gives a clear description of it in her January 8th Examiner.com article.

Please, allow me to assist you in the fine art of man-watching. Let me take you back to Halloween week, when Pagan Spirits celebrated Werewolf Wednesday:

Back in June, I created one of my all-time favorite posts...but you knew that from my New Year's round-up of my favorite posts from 2012. It was 5 Jewish Dudes I'd Most Like to See Lewd, inspired by Anthony Weiner. This gives us the infamous Adam Levine (one of my Hanukkah Hotties) nude shot.

In Romantic Heroes and the Hotties Who Inspired Them, you get to learn where some of the inspiration for my stories comes from. Some of it comes from Milo Ventimiglia.

Men are fun to watch by themselves, and great when they come in pairs. The fictional should-be couple I keep obsessing about is Qhuinn-Blaylock, J.R. Ward's Black Dagger Brotherhood series. Conveniently, "Qhuinn and Blaylock should totally get together!" has been shortened to "Team Qhuay." Hotness results.

You can't tell from the above fanfic graphic, but Qhuinn has two different-colored eyes. Just like David Bowie, who turns 65 on this National Man Watcher's Day 2011. He was in the The Prestige, along with the one man you just knew I couldn't go without mentioning, and watching.

The Weekend Round-Up: Literary Links to Love VI

2012-01-07T08:56:00.003-05:00

In case you haven't been social media stalking me this week, here are some of the literary links you may have missed out on.

Tit Elingtin and I were interviewed about Eminent Domain at The Best of Everything.

Gabe Habash, in his Publisher's Weekly blog, brought us the best book memes of 2011.

According to Entertainment Weekly, Chris Columbus, who directed the first two Harry Potter movies, is collaborating with YA author Ned Vizzini to produce a 3-book series called House of Secrets. Could be interesting...

Speaking of my favorite, phenomenally popular book franchises: as much as I love Twilight, I can't help but get a chuckle out of "If Famous Writers Had Written Twilight."

This book came out in September, but I just discovered it now: Fitzwilliam Darcy, Rock Star. It's not a mash-up, but a P&P-inspired tale in which Darcy, Bingley and Fitzwilliam have a band, and their new opening act is Long Borne Suffering, a band featuring Lizzie and Jane Bennet and Charlotte Lucas. It's just about the coolest thing since Little Vampire Women.

If you're enamored of Pride and Prejudice and its myriad sequels and tributes, you might also like The Spinster's Vow by Enid Wilson. It's another Lizzie Bennet-Fitzwilliam Darcy romance.

Our favorite TV inspired by our favorite books: here's Fangs, Wands and Fairy Dust's summary of the most recent crop of supernatural TV shows, including The Secret Circle (based on the L.J. Smith novels) and my new favorite, Grimm.

Now the sexy stuff:

Author Naomi Shaw's hot, hot photo gallery of men. For sexy women, check out these Goth girls.

Sex toys, this article states, are increasingly being marketed to a religious audience. Why not?

Finally, if you need a little liquid inspiration, you can always order a make-your-own absinthe kit. I can't resist making this terrible pun: absinthe makes the heart grow fonder.

(Public domain image)

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WIP Wednesday with Patricia Bates

2012-01-04T07:07:00.028-05:00

Patricia Bates: Hmm, my current work in progress is an erotic novel:

After a brutal relationship which nearly killed her, Gillian Hillard has withdrawn from everything, including sex. Burying herself into her work, she avoids life and its entanglements out of fear and lack of confidence. When she meets Firefighter Jack Payle at her mother's wedding the sparks fly and she gets a taste of how exciting it is to stand so close to the flames.

Gillian’s different than any woman Jack’s been with, calm, plain, but beneath the staid clothing and glasses he senses a woman with fire, one who can light his world. He sets out to get her – to claim the woman behind the mask but can his love save her from the darkness?

Fighting fire with fire has never felt so good for them. Passion flares into a five alarm fire threatening to overwhelm them both in its heat.

www.patbatesromances.com
http://ofinkandquille.blogspot.com
http://www.google.com/profiles/Patriciambates

Sin's Bite: Love, lust, and a blood fued can't keep these lovers apart.

Master's Mistress: In a world of betrayal and murder, a vibrant Celtic slave woman holds the key to her Viking master's heart. #1 Bestseller for May - Champagne Books

The Viscount's Prize: A rugged spy, an innocent courtesan and a court bent on destroying them both. Carnal Passions

Love Thy Neighbor: In a land devastated by the Civil War, can water flow uphill to unite the two lovers destined to reclaim it? Champagne Books

Phantom's Pleasure: Can true love trascend death itself? Passion in Print

Firecracker: Love sometimes means accepting the inevitable.

Bordering on Love: Love will conquer all obsticles

Cowgirl's Christmas: A sexy cowboy, a secluded hideaway - and a love stronger than fear.

Image: Denis Janssen, Creative Commons license

Pagan Spirits 2011 in Review

2012-01-01T06:27:00.034-05:00

Today, while I chill out from last night's party, visit my great-aunt and spend some time with my mom, please enjoy these highlights of the Pagan Spirits book blog over the past year.

January - "The Journal of Rosa and Bella" Pt. 1, by Shah Wharton

February - Amber Chen's Hottest Sci-Fi Couples

March - The Forgotten Saints of Ireland

April - Crime thriller The Smell of Gas by Erin O'Riordan and Tit Elingtin

May - Day of Revenge by Deanna Proach

June - 5 Jewish Dudes I'd Most Like to See Lewd

July - The erotic art of Christopher Chamberlain

August - The Science of Writing Science Fiction

September - For the first day of fall, books about Persephone

October - Love Spells From the Witch of Umbria

November - The Best Parts of The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Pt. 1

December - The Witches' Yuletide Ball

Happy New Year! May 2012 be the best year of your life so far. I'm looking forward to more guest posts and more great books in 2012. And Breaking Dawn Pt. 2, of course.

Jakob Dylan image: Mike from Boston
The Odor of Pomegranates by Zaida Ben-Yusuf, 1899, is in the public domain

Hogmanay: New Year's Eve in Scotland

2011-12-31T07:05:00.026-05:00

The Scots invented the modern-day celebration of New Year's Eve, from "Auld Lang Syne" to the big disco ball. In Scotland, New Year's Eve is called Hogmanay.

The word's origins are obscure; it may be of Celtic, Norman (French) or Anglo-Saxon origin. The nearest Gaelic term is oge maidne, or "new morning." Large Hogmanay festivals are now held in Edinburgh, Glasgow and Stirling.

"Auld Lang Syne" is often attributed to the Scottish poet Robert Burns, but Burns was only transcribing and adding to an existing folk song. Translated from the Scots dialect into everyday modern English, "Auld Lang Syne" means "old long since." In Scottish folk tales, "In the days of auld lang syne" takes the place of "once upon a time," and "for auld lang syne" could be restated as "for old times' sake."

The big disco ball is a modern descendant of the fireballs traditionally swung on Hogmanay. This tradition has its roots in pagan bonfire nights, also observed at Samhain and Beltane. The light wards off evil spirits and encourages the days to get longer. You'll see men carrying a 20-pound fireball attached to a 5-foot pole in Aberdeen's southern neighbor, Stonehaven. The fireball's traditional name is the Clavie.

Hogmanay is also celebrated with the custom of first footing. The first person to set foot through your door on the new year should be a tall, dark male. (Blonds, associated with the Viking invaders, were bad luck.) Traditionally, he would bear gifts of coal, whisky and black bun (a really heavy Scottish fruit cake) or another kind of cake. In eastern Scotland's fishing communities, he may also bring herring. Coal meant the house would stay warm for the coming year, and food gifts meant the house would not go hungry.

(Hogmanay 2007 in Biggar - by David Hamilton, Creative Commons)

Clement A. Miles writes in Christmas Customs and Traditions, "Drinking is and was a great feature of the Scottish New Year Eve."

During the Protestant Reformation years when celebrating Christmas was discouraged, Hogmanay became the gift-exchanging day in Scottish custom. Scottish children chose Hogmanay rather than Christmas Eve to go door to door wassailing - a begging custom that will remind Americans of trick-or-treating. Welsh kids carry a gray mare, but the old Scottish wassailing custom is for the leader of each group of children to dress in a sheepskin.

Hogmanay has its own website. This one is specific to Edinburgh Hogmanay.

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My Besties - Favorite Books of 2011, That Is

2011-12-29T06:41:00.080-05:00

Looking over the books I read this year, I was surprised by how much YA I read and how little paranormal romance. In part, I blame Amazon Vine - I keep choosing YA books as my twice-monthly free items. My TBR pile going into 2012 has several PNR paperbacks, but I'm in no particular hurry to get to them. I do feel that if I give the genre a bit of a rest, I'll only appreciate it more when I do get back to it.

Not all of these were published in 2011, but this is the year I read them. Here they are in alphabetical order.

Beauty Queens by Libba Bray. The whole thing is a delicious send-up of pop culture and sexism. My favorite character is Adina, Miss New Hampshire, a journalist embedded in the pageant. She's a smart, Jewish feminist - sort of a teenage Emma Goldman. I also like lesbian, comic-book-loving Miss Michigan (Jennifer), the transgendered contestant (I won't give it away) and Indian-Californian Valley Girl DJ-wannabe Miss California (Shanti).

Dead Reckoning by Charlaine Harris. This is the 11th Sookie Stackhouse book. (Only 2 more to go - .) Loved it! Whether or not Eric actually ends up mated to the vampire queen of Oklahoma, Sookie's turning away from him. Bill's vampire "sister" is out of the picture once again...dare I hope Bill and Sookie will get back together in the series' last two volumes? I'm glad Sandra Pelt is finally out of the way, and I thoroughly enjoyed the Alcide scene (though I'm not sure how Sookie was able to resist the temptation!). If I were Sookie, I think I'd use the cluviel dor to wish Bill hadn't been sent by Sophie Anne, or at least that he hadn't lied about it.

The next book is going to be called Deadlocked.

Dream Lover, edited by Kristina Wright. A collection of diverse, elegantly erotic tales of paranormal romance. Given my personal preference for wolf tales, it may come as no surprise my personal favorite in this collection is Alana Noel Voth's "Moongirl Meets the Wolf Man." Full review here.

Family by Michael Ostow. The young protagonist of this unusual novel-in-verse, Mel, is one of those tragic young adult characters, the likes of which inspired Meghan Cox Gurdon to write her controversial Wall Street Journal essay "Darkness Too Visible." Yet it ends on a hopeful note. Full review here.

Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones. A charming and delightful story, a witches' love story appropriate for all ages. I saw the anime version first (yes, with Christian Bale as the voice of Howl). The plots aren't exactly the same, but they both involve a good deal of green slime, and both are utterly charming. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good fairy tale.

Isis by Douglas Clegg. The most beautiful part of this eerie tale is Clegg's description of what the Cornish call the Isle of Apples (Avalon), the land of the dead. But just as J.K. Rowling warned in "The Deathly Hallows" in The Tales of Beedle the Bard, those brought from the land of the dead do not belong in this world. Iris should have listened to the old legends.

Juliet Immortal by Stacey Jay. O Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou some guy named Dylan? It's because in this immensely imaginative novel, Stacey Jay manages to turn everything we think we know about the world's most famous pair of impulsive teenage lovers on its head. At the risk of sounding like a young adult instead of an adult reviewer reading a YA book, OMG, this novel is SO good! Come to think of it, it's both YA and PNR.

Steamlust: Steampunk Erotic Romance, edited by Kristina Wright. There's a good reason why I keep reviewing Cleis Press titles - the publisher consistently puts out high-quality anthologies. I believe the key to good steampunk is the same as the key to good erotic romance: the beauty is all in the details. Fortunately, Wright's editing instincts do not fail her, and Steamlust is full of glorious details. Full review here.

The Inquisitor's Apprentice by Chris Moriarty. It's sort of like The Prestige mixed with Harry Potter mixed with the Disney musical Newsies, but with more Jewish characters. Its protagonist is 13-year-old Sacha Kessler, who lives in the tenements, circa 1900. Magic is technically illegal in America, but still widely practiced, and one day Sacha learns he can see magic. This rare talent leads to his new job as an inquisitor's apprentice.

The Sacred Book of the Werewolf by Victor Pelevin. A Hu-Li is a werefox, but she's so much more than that. She's 2,000 years old, one of a sisterhood of werefoxes from ancient China. These foxes are a kind of energy vampires, using prostitution as a cover to feed off the sexual energy of men. Through a kind of hallucinogenic effect they produce with their fox-tails, A Hu-Li and her sisters never actually have to touch these men. A Hu-Li is, in fact, a 2,000-year-old virgin. For the first time in her extremely long life, A Hu-Li is faced with the prospect of falling in love.

What I'm reading going into 2012: The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. I read a few of these short stories in grade school, but not at all since then. I'm enjoying them.

WIP Wednesday, Briefly

2011-12-28T09:34:00.004-05:00

Authors, would you like to share approximately 100-200 words about a current work in progress on a future WIP Wednesday? If so, please e-mail the details to erinoriordan AT sbcglobal DOT net.

Having expended a large amount of creative energy on the Winter Solstice holidays this past week, I don't have a new work in progress to mention this WIP Wednesday. I will be blogging about Hanukkah one more time, later today at the Whipped Cream guests blog. Join me; I'm giving away copies of my Hanukkah erotic romance "Spicy, Earthy, Sweet."

For this blog, I'm working on a list of my top ten reads of 2011. Inspired by Shah Wharton, I'm also considering a post about the meaning of the traditional New Years song "Auld Lang Syne." Maybe.

In the meantime, I'm enjoying some other bloggers' year-end lists. Here are a few:

This video is from OCD of Books.

Ruth Mayer Hill's Top 10 Book Boyfriends of 2011

Book Soulmates' take on Book Boyfriends 2011

Guy LeCharles Gonzalez's Favorite Reads of 2011

Literary Centenaries 2012

Book Chick City's Best and Worst Covers of 2011

Alex O'Hurley's Sexy Man Monday picks of the year (NSFW!)

I'd love to hear what YOU are writing about this week - or your favorite book boyfriend/girlfriend of 2011!

The Hanukkah Hotness, Night 8: Katerina Graham

2011-12-27T18:00:00.025-05:00

Happy 8th night of Hanukkah! Your final Hanukkah gift is the hotness of Kat Graham, best known for playing the witch Bonnie on The Vampire Diaries. She's Jewish on her mom's side and Liberian on her dad's side.

Her sense of fashion is sometimes quirky. She showed up at the KIIS FM Jingle Ball earlier this month wearing a jacket with "Oh Shit!" printed all over it, a tropical two-piece dress, army boots and Venus symbol earrings. Photo HERE.

BUT she looked awesome in a blue ballgown while co-hosting The Ripple Effect charity dinner, which benefited The Water Project. The Water Project saves lives by helping people gain access to clean, safe drinking water. So beautiful, and also such a mensch! It's also a favorite charity of her co-host and TVD costar Ian Somerhalder (so evil as Damon, but in real life, actually quite a nice guy!).

Another of the best things about Kat is her singing, and her propensity for covering great girl-culture songs of the '90s. Here's her take on Garbage's "Only Happy When It Rains," which was featured in a TVD episode:

Here's she's mashed up two classics from Janet Jackson:

She's also tackled the Paula Abdul song "Cold Hearted." Paula Abdul is also Jewish, so this is one Yiddish mama's cover of another's pop hit.

Join me HERE on December 28th for a special Hanukkah post and giveaway.

Image Attribution: © Glenn Francis, www.PacificProDigital.com

The Hanukkah Hotness, Night 7: Adam Lambert

2011-12-26T18:00:00.015-05:00

Robert Downey, Jr. is just a straight guy, and Adam Levine is a gay-friendly-but-straight cock tease, but Adam Lambert is an ACTUALLY GAY JEWISH GUY. He's the one who's not a designer; that's Nate Berkus, Michael Kors and/or Marc Jacobs.

Adam Lambert is a rock star. He has legions of adoring fans, known as the Glamberts. This is my favorite Lambert tune:

His latest song is called "Better Than I Know Myself," but the album won't be out until March, and the official video doesn't seem to be out yet. You can listen to the audio, though.

In some alternative queer universe, as in my dreams, Adams Lambert and Levine are a married couple, I'm just sure of it. No doubt all their tattoos would match.

In this universe, Adam's boyfriend is a Finnish reality TV star named Sauli. They got in trouble the other night for a loud argument (according to some accounts, a physical fight) in a Finnish gay club called Don't Tell Mama. They were detained by police, though not booked or charged with anything.

But maybe it wasn't Adam who did those things. Maybe he has a dybbuk. I just finished reading Chris Moriarty's The Inquisitor's Apprentice, in which a young turn-of-the-19th-century New York Jewish man, Sacha, is bedeviled by a dybbuk set upon him by an alternate-history version of J.P. Morgan. One of the last scenes in the book takes place at the beginning of Hanukkah. Sacha's rabbi grandfather calls Hanukkah "not a real holiday," but it's still one of Sacha's favorites.

The Inquisitor's Apprentice is the first entry in what will be a five-part young adult series, but if you prefer books for grown-ups, you might like The Dyke and the Dybbuk by Ellen Galford, about a contemporary lesbian Jewish woman in London and her encounter with the supernatural. It was published in 1993, and I think it might be out of print now (and, for some reason, not yet published as an e-book), but you can still find copies floating around.

Image: TomDog

Join me HERE on December 28th for a special Hanukkah post and giveaway.

The Hanukkah Hotness, Night 6: Winona Ryder

2011-12-25T18:00:00.043-05:00

What is it about you Jews from Minnesota and changing your names? Bob Zimmerman wants everybody to call him Bob Dylan, and Winona Horowitz is much more famously known as Winona Ryder.

Winona Ryder has:

-Played Mina Murray-Harker in the Francis Ford Coppola Dracula

-Been featured on my all-time favorite episode of my all-time favorite show, the "Lisa's Rival" episode of The Simpsons

-Inspired an essay in The Bust Guide to the New Girl Order, one of the greatest books known to girlkind

-Caused Johnny Depp to get a tattoo that said "Winona Forever." When they broke up, he had it altered to say "Wino Forever."

-Not only starred as Jo in Little Women, but did so opposite Christian Bale as Laurie. She introduced Bale to his wife, makeup artist Sandra "Sibi" Blazic, and so could even be considered an honorable member of the Steinem-Bale family.

-Been featured several times now on Gender Fuck Thursdays at Dorothy Surrenders. In other words, she's shown a distinct preference for dressing in the clothing of the male sex

In other words, she is not only one hot Yiddish mama, she's also an integral part of girl culture. Winona, I'm sorry I bumped from my list of the 10 people with whom I'd most like to drink wine. Forget Colin Firth. He's gone. You can have your spot back.

Join me HERE on December 28th for a special Hanukkah post and giveaway.

Photo by Eric Weiss, Creative Commons License. Not the Houdini one, though - his name was spelled Erik Weisz

Merry Christ(ian Bale)mas!

2011-12-25T07:22:00.047-05:00

Awww...cute little guy from Empire of the Sun.

Back then, you had no idea you would grow up to be the teenage hottie from Royal Deceit and Newsies...

...and then just keep getting hotter! The Batman Begins premiere:

The Dark Knight premiere:

At the premiere of Public Enemies:

Oscar night, February 2011. I love Natalie Portman because she was in The Professional and because she's a Hanukkah hottie, Melissa Leo because she was on Homicide: Life on the Streets and Colin Firth simply because he exists.

Image attribution:
Towpilot, 1988, Creative Commons license
John Griffiths, 2005, Creative Commons license
Mutari, 2008, public domain image
Asim Bharwani, 2009, Creative Commons license
Public domain image

Happy Christ(ian Bale)mas to all, and to all a Dark Knight!

The Hanukkah Hotness, Night 5: Scarlett Johansson

2011-12-24T18:00:00.051-05:00

This 5th night of Hanukkah is also Christ(ian Bale)mas Eve, so it's only right that the Hanukkah Hottie is Scarlett Johansson, Bale's co-star in The Prestige. Scarlet is Danish and Jewish.

Johansson is a queen of literary adaptations. In addition to The Prestige, based on the novel by English author Christopher Priest, she's been in:

The Girl With the Pearl Earring, a novel by Tracy Chevalier

The Other Boleyn Girl, a novel by Philippa Gregory

Ghost World, based on Daniel Clowes' comic book, and

The Nanny Diaries, a novel by Nicola Kraus and Emma MacLaughlin

...And these are just some highlights - there are others. The Prestige is my favorite, though. In the book, Olivia Wenscombe is a bit more of a vixen than Scarlett's version; when she first auditions as a magic assistant for Alfred Borden, he asks if she brought a costume. She says yes, and then proceeds to take off her clothes and has absolutely nothing on underneath. Her blatant seduction works, and they make love on a nearby couch. I wish that scene had made it into the movie. Also, if I had directed it instead of Christopher Nolan, there would have been an Olivia-Borden-Angiers threesome. It wouldn't fit the plot, but I don't care. Scarlett Johansson, Christian Bale and Hugh Jackman would all be naked.

Also, Scarlett released an album of Tom Waits covers. If that doesn't say "You go, Yiddish girl," I don't know what does.

Image: Tony Shek, Creative Commons license

Join me HERE on December 28th for a special Hanukkah post and giveaway.

Need a last-minute Christmas gift? Books = Gifts

2011-12-24T09:17:00.001-05:00

A wonderful quote from author/editor Kristina Wright: "Love to read? Looking forward to a new year and new books? Do your favorite authors a huge favor this holiday season. Buy a book. Buy two books! Give them as gifts, keep them for yourself, donate them to a coffee shop or women's shelter. Start your own book club. Can't afford books right now? That's okay. Really! You can still do something meaningful for your favorite authors. Pick a book you read and loved this year (or any year) and pop over to Amazon (or B&N or Twitter or Facebook or your blog or your PTA mailing list) and post a review. It doesn't have to be long. It doesn't have to be a summary of every character and plot point. Just tell people why you loved the book. Your enthusiasm will be contagious. Trust me. Someone else will buy the book because of your recommendation. Your favorite authors will make a few extra dollars this holiday season, yes. But more than that, those positive reviews and enthusiastic recommendations mean your favorite authors will garner enough sales to justify their next contracts--and their next books. Which means you will have more books to look forward to in 2012 and beyond. It's win-win, see? Remember your favorite authors this holiday season. They will thank you for it by writing stories that you love."

One of the gifts I'll be giving this year is World Vision Fair-Trade Coffee. I won a coffee set, including a bag of coffee and a hand-carved wooden coffee scoop, from Tiny Green Mom. The coffee is a blend of fine strains of the bean from Africa, Latin America and Indonesia.

World Vision is a wonderful organization dedicated to making the lives of the world's children better (including children in the U.S. as well as other countries). It publishes a catalog through which you can target your donations toward fighting hunger, sponsoring education, providing clean water, helping women find gainful employment or helping women and girls who've been sexually exploited.

The Hanukkah Hotness, Night 4: Adam Levine

2011-12-23T18:00:00.000-05:00

Happy fourth night of Hanukkah! Hanukkah may not require a pine tree, but man, do Israelis love their trees. So much so that they name their kids Ilan, which means "tree." Ilan is one of the romantic heroes in my Jewish-American short story "The Hope." A temple cantor, Ilan's singing voice and look are inspired by Adam Levine.

(Photo by Robin Wong, Creative Commons license)

The makers of “How to Play a LoveGame in 5 Gaga Steps” (okay, it's just me) would like to remind our readers that Lady Gaga is not the only pop star producing ultrastylish videos and songs with not-so-delicately suggestive lyrics. While many male rock stars could play the yin to Gaga’s yang – hell, she can dress in drag and do it herself - we subjectively choose Maroon 5.

L.A.-based band Maroon 5 is five guys: Mickey Madden, James Valentine, Jesse Carmichael, Matt Flynn and Adam Levine. They are, however, victim to the classic lead singer syndrome, as the most high-profile of them is Levine. He stars with Christina Aguilera, Cee-Lo Green and Blake Shelton on the musical talent show The Voice.

When the band performed at the 2011 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show, Levine was dating model Anne Vyalitsyna. She’s played the female lead in some of the band’s videos, including “Misery” and “Never Gonna Leave This Bed.” He’s made media waves by posing nude for Cosmo UK, mocking the lack of music on MTV and telling Fox News not to play the band’s music. That last one was a protest against the conservative news channel’s stance on LGBTQ rights.

Heterosexual but not heterosexist, part of the L.A. garage band’s success strategy has been turning out pop-rock hooks – a musical flavor audiences associate with the feminine, according to L.A. Times chief pop music critic Ann Powers. “This decade is a pop decade,” Powers has said. “Artifice and affect are in, roughness and ‘authenticity’ are out.” For Powers, the ingredients of “artifice and affect” include prettiness, dance beats and theatricality – see any Maroon 5 video for examples. It hasn’t hurt the band that when Levine sang a duet with Rihanna, her voice was the lower of the two.

In keeping with that slightly hermaphroditic aesthetic, Maroon 5 can produce lyrics that straddle the line between sweet, heart-felt, soulful and sexy/dirty. ("Dirty" is a bit of a pun; the name "Adam" is derived from the Hebrew word for "earth.") How to play a lovegame in Maroon 5 easy steps:

1. I Want to Make You Feel Beautiful (“She Will Be Loved”)

2. Paint a Picture With My Hands (“Sunday Morning”)

3. Remember How My Body Tastes (“Shiver”)

4. Writhing in a Naked Sweat (“Harder to Breathe”)

5. Pleasure That Made You Cry (“Makes Me Wonder”)

Join me HERE on December 28th for a special Hanukkah post and giveaway.

The Hanukkah Hotness, Night 3: Gyllenhaal Sibling Edition

2011-12-22T18:00:00.049-05:00

Happy third night of Hanukkah! Tonight we have two for the price of one: the Swedish-Jewish siblings Maggie and Jake Gyllenhaal. Beyond general hotness, there are at least three compelling reasons to love Maggie Gyllenhaal:

-Her gutsy/sexy performance in the BDSM film Secretary

-Her Rachel Dawes in The Dark Knight; come on, she's a way better Rachel than Katie Holmes

-She will star in Hysteria, the film about Victorian women and their orgasms

We need no reason to love Jake G., Maggie's lil bro, other than Brokeback Mountain. In 2008, I wrote, "I just watched Brokeback Mountain for the first time last night. Now I am sad.

"Not just sad for Jack and Ennis, though their love story is tragic. Tragic in all kinds of ways. There is nothing O'Riordan loves more than a good love story; Goddess knows it's just about all I write about, all day every day. And this one's just so profoundly sad. In the special features, screenwriter Larry McMurty says that when he read the Annie Proulx story on which this film was based, he wished he'd written it. I wish I'd written this movie. I've never written a MM romance half this sweet, or this heartbreaking.

"And I'm not just sad because Heath Ledger will never get to make another film. Or that his family lost him. That, too, is tragic.

"But I'm also sad because now I want to be Jake Gyllenhaal's bitch. And that's just not going to happen, is it?"

Join me HERE on December 28th for a special Hanukkah post and giveaway.

The Hanukkah Hotness, Night 2: Meital Dohan

2011-12-21T18:00:00.027-05:00

Tonight's Hanukkah hottie is the Israeli actress and singer Meital Dohan. Meital is kind of the Israeli Lady Gaga. (She's also an actor and a comedian, starring in the Israeli version of Ugly Betty. On American TV, you may have seen her on Weeds.) She's at her naughtiest in "Yummy Boyz":

Meital is also an author, having written Love and Other Bad Habits: Unmasking the Most Intimate Feminine Moments. She collaborated with photographer Karen Gillerman-Harel. It examines the many faces of Israeli Jewish and Arab women, and first came out in Hebrew in 2007.

I'm pretty sure Meital likes boys. But if you're a Jewish woman who loves another woman, the book for you just might be Milk and Honey: A Celebration of Jewish Lesbian Poetry, edited by Julie R. Enszer. I haven't read it yet, but it looks amazing. And you don't really have to be Jewish lesbian/bisexual/queer woman to read it. I'm sure the poetry therein will dazzle readers of all tribes.

Photos: Erik Hansen, Creative Commons License
Gillerman-Harel and Dohan, from Coolil blog

Join me HERE on December 28th for a special Hanukkah post and giveaway.

WIP Wednesday/Winter Solstice Wednesday, Week 3

2011-12-21T07:00:00.046-05:00

Authors, would you like to share approximately 100-200 words about a current work in progress on a future WIP Wednesday? If so, please e-mail the details to erinoriordan AT sbcglobal DOT net.

Erin O'Riordan: My current works in progress? I just finished editing another Hurricane book by Joe Caccione, and I'm collaborating with Rushmore Judd on a short story called "The Witch."

Winter Solstice Wednesday: According to GoddessGift.com, Rhiannon was the Celtic goddess of the moon and inspiration and Queen of the Fairies. She married the mortal king of Wales, who first spotted her as she rode a fine white horse. Falsely accused of killing their infant son, she was punished by being forced to wear a horse collar. When travelers came to the kingdom, she would tell them of her crime and offer to carry them on her back to the castle. Her son, raised by a farm couple, was later restored to the throne, and Rhiannon regained her place in royal society.

Some legends link Rhiannon with Vivienne, the Lady of the Lake in Arthurian legend. She is closely linked with horses, and sometimes associated with the Gaulish-Roman goddess Epona, the Great Mare (a name the Romans also bestowed on the grain-goddess Demeter). Epona was especially beloved among the Roman cavalry.

Rhiannon's part on the Winter Solstice was to ride through the Welsh people's dreams, giving them visions and bringing them inspiration for the coming year. The Irish version of Rhiannon's name is Mare, pronounced MAH-ray, which is said to be the source of the word "nightmare."

Although associated with a white horse, Rhiannon inspired the Welsh custom of Mari Lwyd, or Gray Mare. A mare's skull, sometimes made of wood or cardboard, is mounted on a pole and draped with a white sheet. It may be finely decorated, with colorful ribbons for reins, glass eyes and even snapping jaws. The mare is carried through the streets by a colorfully-dressed party singing traditional songs, sometimes mixed with Christmas carols. Sometimes, a rhyme contest would take place between the members of the Mari party and those inside the houses they visited. The party hoped to be rewarded for their entertainments with cakes and perhaps ale. It was a form of wassailing.

Of course, "Rhiannon" is also a Fleetwood Mac song written by Stevie Nicks. She also inspired the English nursery rhyme:

Ride a cockhorse to Banbury Cross
to see a fine lady upon a white horse,
With rings on her fingers and bells on her toes
she shall have music wherever she goes.

The goddess Rhiannon shares her name with author Rhiannon Mills, who has written the paranormal romances Immortal Ties and Immortal Embrace. Her beautiful, sex-positive blog is Rhiannon's Paranormally Romantic Bits and Pieces.

The Hanukkah Hotness, Night 1: Robert Downey Jr.

2011-12-20T18:00:00.041-05:00

Happy first night of Hanukkah! I love how the Festival of Lights falls around the Winter Solstice this year. This is my Hanukkah gift to you, my readers: eight crazy nights of Hanukkah Hebrew hotties. First up is a guy I mentioned in my Howl post the other day as one of David Strathairn's co-stars in Good Night, and Good Luck: Robert Downey Jr. (originally, Robert Elias.)

I have a confession to make: for years, I thought Robert Downey, Jr. was bisexual. I don't know where I got such information, but it doesn't seem to be true. All his significant relationships have been with women, including the red-hot Yiddish mama Sarah Jessica Parker. I won't hold being a straight guy against him, but it does ruin my vision of RDJ ascending into GLBT heaven, where he would sit at the right hand of James Dean. Amen.

(In actual spiritual practice, RDJ does not believe in heaven. He's a combination of Jewish, Buddhist and Hare Krishna.)

He is in a particularly awesome Elton John video. I love that this is one continuous take, no cuts.

RDJ is best known as Iron Man and Sherlock Holmes these days, but he got his start acting in Less Than Zero, the film adaptation of possibly the second-best Bret Easton Ellis novel, after American Psycho. This landed him in a Bangles video, the Simon & Garfunkel cover from the soundtrack. (As an added bonus, Bangles lead singer Susanna Hoffs is also Jewish!)

He's also a Shakespearean actor: he was in Richard III with Sir Ian McKellan and Dominic West. West played Lysander in the 1999 A Midsummer Night's Dream. With David Strathairn.

Photo by Alan Light

Join me HERE on December 28th for a special Hanukkah post and giveaway.

Are swear words in book titles appropriate? - Guest Post

2011-12-18T07:11:00.006-05:00

Written by Marisa Quinn, author of “Echoes in the Wind” which is scheduled to be released through Champagne Books in March 2012.

Earlier this year an adult humour picture book written by American author Adam Mansbach called “Go the Fuck to Sleep” reached number 1 on Amazon bestseller list a month before its release through word of mouth.

Why? Because of the title. People were shocked and horrified to see that word on the front cover of what looked like a children’s book. Suddenly they wanted to learn more about it. Who would write a book with that word in the title? What could it be about? Do I dare read it to children? What type of parent is the author?

People immediately split into two groups: there were those who thought the title was horrendously inappropriate and actually feared that people would read the book to children and that it would emotionally scar them.

And then there were people intelligent enough to realise that the book was satire and not meant to be read to children and were able to appreciate the book because they themselves were parents and had secretly longed to utter the words “Go the Fuck to Sleep” to their precious off spring at least once while struggling to put them to bed.

I think that Adam Mansbach’s decision to title the book “Go the Fuck to Sleep” was pure genius and not vulgar or wrong. There are some who think that putting a swear word into a book title is risky, that it could have a negative effect on sales and is a tacky way of trying to attract attention from readers.

And they are absolutely right. If you put a swear word in your book title be prepared that some people will find it offensive and might not even want to stock your book in their shops. You’ll get complaints. Bad reviews. Letters from hysterical parents complaining that their child saw your book in a shop and asked them what that word on the front cover meant.

Bad reviews happen to all authors. If people don’t find your title offensive they will find something else about your book to complain about. I learnt a long time ago not to spend time worrying that my writing might offend someone. Writers should never censor themselves out of the fear that something they write might come across as offensive. Be honest. Not just to yourself but to your book. If you feel like your book should have a sex scene in it...do it! If it needs some violence...do it! If it needs a swear word in the title...for fuck’s sake, do it!

Just let yourself write.

Review of 'The Package' by Nobilis Reed

2011-12-17T09:09:00.001-05:00

Many elements of this brief, but thoroughly enjoyable, short piece of erotic fiction by Nobilis Reed make it read like the perfect fantasy. There's the element of mystery - who is the masked lover? Is the masked lover a man or a woman? It's not a scary kind of suspense; we're sure the narrator, known as Rose Tattoo, is safe and playing willingly. It's the kind of suspense that keeps the reader on the edge of her seat, eager for what comes next.

The surprises that await Rose Tattoo are the other delightful elements, and they lead to a satisfying (literary) climax. At the low price of this e-book (as of this writing, $0.99), no one will be disappointed they took the time to read this one.

This book is also available on Smashwords.

You can find Nobilis Reed at his website, Nobilis Erotica.

Image: Markbritton

WIP Wednesday/Winter Solstice Wednesday

2011-12-14T06:00:00.031-05:00

WIP Wednesday: " Good news, everyone! My m/m erotic short story Hungry Things" has been accepted for the A Lover's Feast: Sensual Food Tales series of anthologies, to be published by Renaissance EBooks. The main characters are Dr. John William Polidori and George Gordon, Lord Byron, not in the 18th century but now. A small sample:

"His Lordship looked suddenly serious. He flicked off the telly, set down the remote and reached over. His long, thin fingers intertwined with mine. 'Give me your arm, Poli.'

"I couldn’t imagine what he wanted with my arm. To sink his teeth into my flesh? To inject me with an experimental diet drug? Still, I obeyed him, unbuttoning my cuff, rolling up the sleeve of my favorite robin’s-egg-blue shirt and presenting the underside of my bare forearm to him.

"He took my arm in one hand and brought it to his lips. The kiss was soft, faint, but distinct. In his other hand he brandished a fountain pen, the kind he used in the old days. Without saying a word, he took the pen to my arm and wrote I love you."

Winter Solstice Wednesday: Last week I promised more on the goddesses of Winter Solstice, and in particular, Amaterasu and Sarasvati.

Amaterasu is the Japanese sun goddess, says GoddessGift.com. She was "born" at the Winter Solstice.

According to Encyclopedia Mythica, Amaterasu was so bright, her divine family placed her in the sky. She retreated to a cave when her storm-god brother made too much racket. She was offended by his violence, says GoddessMyths.com. Much the way Demeter's search for Persephone threatened the earth, Amaterasu's retreat was a disaster in the making. She was finally lured out when the goddess Uzume did a comical burlesque dance, and the laughter of the other gods piqued her curiosity. Amaterasu sustains the world, being in charge of the cultivation of rice and wheat.

This incident was captured in Eternally Bad by Trina Robbins, the ultimate guide to goddesses gone bad.

In ancient times, the celebration of Amaterasu's reemergence from the cave at Winter Solstice was observed with a night-long requiem for the dead, which ended when the sun rose. Japan's celebration of Amaterasu at the Winter Solstice seems to be a metaphorical reference to the fact that it gets lighter (longer days) after this astronomical event, as if the sun were coming out of a cave of darkness.

According to GoddessGift.com, Sarasvati is India's goddess of knowledge, and her birth is celebrated around the Winter Solstice.

Also the goddess of the arts, Sarasvati holds a book, prayer beads, and the musical instrument known as the vina. She is the shakti (power) and consort of Brahma, the Creator, and thus is considered Mother of the Universe, according to Stephen Knapp.

With a little further research, however, it seems that the major holiday dedicated to Sarasvati, Sarasvati Puja or Vasant Panchami, takes place in February. It was held on February 8th this year and is set for Feb. 4th in 2012. This places its significance closer to Imbolc than Winter Solstice. Interestingly, yellow and white are the colors associated with Sarasvati Puja, and people wear yellow garments on that day - also an Imbolc custom.

Sarasvati image: Raja Ravi Varma, public domain image

Feminine Yule Traditions: December 13 is St. Lucia's Day

2011-12-13T06:33:00.001-05:00

Saint Lucia, also known as Saint Lucy, is venerated as a Catholic/Anglican/Lutheran saint, though her legend is most likely apocryphal and not based on a real historical figure. She's one of the church's virgin martyrs. In one version of the story, a young suitor told her how lovely her eyes were, so Lucia plucked them out so that she could better devote herself to the monastic life without distractions. Thus, she is the patron saint of the blind. Appropriately, her name comes from the Latin word for "light."

I do not know why the French named their beautiful Caribbean island in the Lesser Antilles after this saint.

Although revered in many countries, Saint Lucia is hugely popular in Sweden. In Swedish tradition, at the first crow of the rooster on St. Lucia's Day, a beautiful young woman of the household would rise and dress in a white robe tied with a red sash. She would wear on her head a crown of twigs, into which nine white candles were placed and lit. This is the popular representation of St. Lucia. The young woman representing the saint would wake up the household with singing and a sweet drink (coffee, when it was available). The household then sat down to a candlelit breakfast.

Lucia is also venerated in Sicily. An effigy of the saint is carried through the street in procession; she's depicted as carrying a dish containing her eyes. At the end of the procession, there's a large bonfire.

The extensive use of candles and fire on St. Lucia's Day links the celebration to other traditional Winter Solstice celebrations, including Hanukkah, which prescribe light for the shortest, darkest days of the year.

In some parts of central Europe, St. Lucia serves the function of Frigga and her folkloric descendants, punishing young people who've been naughty or neglectful and rewarding the good. Some regions put Lucia in charge of gifts for girls, while St. Nicholas, whose feast day is observed December 6th, serves this function for boys.

Eves often have special significance in Winter Solstice celebrations, owing to the ancient custom of reckoning days from sunset, still observed by Jews and Muslims. St. Lucia's Eve is also associated with witchcraft. Some observers go around saying special blessings to protect themselves from wayward magic. In other places, St. Lucia's Eve is used for divination, often of the "whom will I marry?" type practiced on St. Mark's Eve, St. John's Eve and All Hallows Eve.

Denmark has a particularly lovely prayer for this occasion:

"Sweet St. Lucy, let me know;
Whose cloth I shall lay,
Whose bed I shall make,
Whose child I shall bear,
Whose darling I shall be,
Whose arms I shall sleep in."

Again I refer to Christmas Customs and Traditions: Their History and Significance by Clement A. Miles.

Blessed Yule! and Welcome, Witches Yuletide Ballers

2011-12-10T06:45:00.079-05:00

Rather than a Yule tree, I like to put up a large wreath, wrapped in lights and garlands, then suspended from the ceiling. I have a theme to many of my Yule ornaments. Many of them have to do with my favorite children's books.

First, there's Hedwig. She was a gift from the aunt and uncle who got me started on Harry Potter in the first place.

Did you know that J.K. Rowling chose the name Hedwig for the beautiful white owl because St. Hedwig is the Catholic patron saint of orphans?

Here are a few of my many Alice in Wonderland collectibles. I have many different editions of this book, one of my all-time favorites. I even brought back Alicia en el Pais de las Maravillas from Madrid.

A couple of my ornaments are from Dr. Seuss stories. The little bell has The Grinch and his dog Max on it, and the silver one is either Thing One or Thing Two from The Cat in the Hat. I've also included the adorable Pat the Bunny ornament - this was quite possibly my first favorite book.

I actually don't have a lot of my childhood Dr. Seuss books anymore - I donated them to a school where I used to work. I do have I Can Lick 30 Tigers Today, which wasn't originally mine, but which resided at my grandparents' house, in a book box on the enclosed front porch, for years. I have many pleasant memories of Christmas Eves at that house.

Next, we have Rainbow Brite. Okay, she's really more of a cartoon character than a book character, but as you'll see, I also have a Rainbow Brite book. (The read-along cassette went missing years ago.)

What girl doesn't want a horse with a rainbow mane and tail?

My newest acquisition (thanks, Mom!) is Hallmark's Twilight Eclipse ornament, depicting Bella Swan, Edward Cullen and Jacob Black.

If I could have an ornament from any kids' book in the world, I'd like to have one from Dianna Wynne Jones' Howl's Moving Castle. They could be the anime versions of Howl and Sophie from the Studio Ghibli film, but preferably it would be right after Sophie cleaned up in Howl's bathroom, he tried to dye his hair blonde and it came out slightly pink. He's so vain about his hair!

But Howl and Sophie are the cutest fictional wizard-witch couple this side of Ron and Hermione. I want her power to make things happen to inanimate objects by talking to them. And he saw her once (on May Day) and fell in love with her - so romantic. Cheesy fan video? I think so.

My Yule wreath will look stylish and well-read this year. Thank you to the gracious hosts of the Witches Yuletide Ball!

http://witchofhowlingcreek.wordpress.com/
http://onthebroomstick.blogspot.com/

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Howl, and One Lovely Blog Award from Shah Wharton

2011-12-09T06:09:00.042-05:00

Everyone over the age of 16 should see the movie Howl, starring James Franco as American poet Allen Ginsberg. It's a brilliant film about a seminal American book. Every word of dialogue comes from Ginsberg's poetry and writings or the transcript of the obscenity trial to which the book's publisher was subjected. (The publisher won.)

James Franco is a fine actor, and I like him in this, but I don't quite buy the illusion of him as Allen Ginsberg. He doesn't quite have the right spirit. Maybe that's just because I so admire Ginsberg and his poetry. When he died in 1997, losing his cancer battle at only 71, I grieved for his loss as if I knew him. I didn't know him, except through his words, but that's what good poetry does to you. When the poet dies, a little part of the reader dies, too.

The movie also has David Strathairn, as the prosecutor in the obscenity trial. Why do I love David Strathairn? For playing the regal Theseus in A Midsummer Night's Dream. (The Hippolyta opposite him isn't very Amazonian, but it's too late to go back and fix that now.) He's kind of big in literature-based films. If you're a huge fan of children's books and their screen adaptations, you may know him as Arthur Spiderwick in The Spiderwick Chronicles. If you're a fan of Stephen King adaptations, you might known him as Dolores Claiborne's asshole husband. However, his best-known role may be as Edward R. Murrow in Good Night, and Good Luck, an intriguing historical drama with the hotness factor of George Clooney + Robert Downey, Jr. (That one was not based on a book; Clooney wrote it with Grant Heslov.)

(This is Titania and Bottom, not Theseus and Hippolyta, but we do know from the play that Theseus and Titania had been lovers.)

I wrote a derivative poem once, based on "Footnote to Howl." I call it "Moist Howlette."

"Sacred! Sacred! Sacred! My poet, my prophet, my Jewish saint and guru declares that all is sacred!

The world is divine! The soul is divine! The skin is sacred! The vulva is sacred! The tongue and cock and hand and asshole sacred!

Everybody’s sacred! Everywhere’s sacred! Every thing is sacred! Every day is an eternity! Every man and woman is an angel!

The sacred whore’s as holy as the seraphim! The sex worker is holy as you my soul are holy! The clitoral orgasm’s as sacred as the vaginal orgasm!

The keyboard is sacred the poem is sacred the voice is sacred the hearers and readers are sacred the ecstasy is sacred!

Holy Erin holy Allen holy Purrrrrrrrr holy Kathryn E holy Walt Whitman holy Joan Jett holy fuckers holy every human angel!

Sacred the vibrators! Sacred, the cock and the cock ring and the clit and the clit ring!

Sacred the groaning saxophone! Sacred the orgasm apocalypse! Sacred the womb scrotum balls peace & junk & drums!

Sacred the solitudes of men’s rooms and elevators! Sacred the strip clubs filled with the millions! Sacred the mysterious rivers of cum and pussy juice and blood and sweat and tears under the sheets!

Sacred the lesbian and the gay man! Sacred the bisexual! Sacred the straight feminist and sexual shepherds of rebellion!

Sacred forgiveness! Mercy! Charity! Faith! Love! Affection! Touch! Sacred! Ours! Bodies! Pain and pleasure! Magnanimity!

Sacred the supernatural extra brilliant intelligent kindness of Allen Ginsberg’s dear departed soul!"

And now for something completely different.

This award comes from Shah Wharton, writer extraordinaire and proprietress of Words in Sync. As an award recipient, I'm supposed to pass the award along to 15 other bloggers.

These are 15 of the most fabulous-est blogs, in alphabetical order:

Catch the Rush
DAT's So Cute
Dorothy Surrenders
For the Love of Blogs
Gee/K/Ink
Gene's Rattle Bag
Jeffrey Beesler's World of the Scribe
Little Luck Tree
Mom's Bookshelf and More
Poetry & Zombies
The Best of Everything
The Demon Stole My Pencil
The Gypsy Art Show
Where Fantasy and Love Take Flight
Word Up, Nerd Up

Quite an eclectic collection, is it not?

If your blog is on the list, this post serves as your notification that you've been awarded. Thanks again, Shah!

James Franco image: Charlotte Badalucco, Creative Commons license

When, Where and How? ~ Guest Post by Steven M. Moore

2011-12-08T08:17:00.000-05:00

When, where, and how do writers’ ideas originate?

The short answer: anywhen, anywhere, anyhow. I’m speaking about fiction writing, of course. For non-fiction writing, including essays and memoirs, authors generally have all the ideas laid out and just have to connect the dots (that in itself is a nontrivial process, especially with essays, but usually the ideas are already there). For fiction writing, the question in the title is the most common one I receive from readers.

I wrote my first novel during the summer I turned thirteen. It was terrible, although not very different from the movie City of Angels—so maybe the idea wasn’t half bad. If I remember correctly, I had a lot more erotica in my novel than what happened between the Meg Ryan and Nicolas Cage characters in the movie (it was PG-13, after all). The sexes of my protagonists were also inverted (if angels can have a sex). Not bad for a pubescent teen, but a terrible writing job, nonetheless.

I live my short answer above. For example, I have managed to drive two wives crazy when I shuffle off in the middle of the night to my desk to write down an idea that just came to me. The frightening thing is that I did the same thing when I was wrestling with a theory or algorithm in my previous career as a physicist. Story detail or equation, the middle of the night is one source of ideas for me. I find this completely natural. When you finally vanquish insomnia and enter that REM world, your mind relaxes and can make intuitive leaps not possible when you’re consciously panning for that golden nugget of an idea.

In both science and writing, I work top-down. I have the big picture; I just need to fill in the details. Orson Scott Card once said, “Novels aren’t built out of short stories. They are built out of scenes.” The first ideas that come to me are a general plot, then the scenes. Short stories are different. The so-called literary novel often is too, although the best of those, the ones with staying power, are still built on scenes. That’s because real life is often just a series of connected scenes. Once I have the general plot and the scenes, I have the solution to my novel writing problem. The adage then holds—I work hard from thereon to fill in the devilish details.

The details are what come to me in the middle of the night. Or, in my previous career, when I was driving home from work after my day job. Or, sitting around the lunch table, shocking the young kids with my radical politics and irreverent observations about modern society (this has carried over to my op-ed posts on my blog, if anyone is interested). Or, faced with a blank paper napkin in a coffee shop or bar. Coming up with the details is a bit like Zen enlightenment—you have to empty your mind or at least completely distract it, putting it into a state of relaxation.

Sometimes this process is fast; other times it’s painfully slow. I can’t control that, although my characters sometimes help by taking over. I often use many characters. Pirandello’s author only had six to torture him. I’ve found that the more I have, the easier it is to put the meat on the scenic skeleton of the story. They don’t all survive, of course. I’m a slash-and-burn editor of my own material. Sometimes I get even and kill off a character. (That happened to Old Bob in my novel Full Medical. A reader complained, so I wrote the short story “Character Assassination” to make him feel better.)

The Midas Bomb was one of those novels where I couldn’t seem to type fast enough. The details came in an intense rush. The plot came to me in the shower one day and I thought it through as I drove to my day job. I wanted a vehicle for my favorite villain, Vladimir Kalinin, who played a minor role in Full Medical and major ones in Evil Agenda and Soldiers of God. As luck would have it, in the process of writing The Midas Bomb, I created two other more noble characters, NYPD police detectives Chen and Castilblanco. Nevertheless, the original plot, the big idea of The Midas Bomb, came when I was rinsing off the soap in the shower: a hedge fund owner teams up with al Qaeda to short the stock market after an attack on Wall Street. Considering that the book was written just after Bear-Stearns and before the financial collapse of 2008, it’s my most prescient work.

I write sci-fi thrillers. In The Midas Bomb, the thriller aspect (fighting terrorists) is obvious. The sci-fi is in the dirty bomb, the “radioactive dispersive device” that Vladimir concocts for the terrorists to use (I should say “sci” since the “fi” is evident, although the Times Square bomber came very close to negating that). But what about the characters?

Vladimir, a sociopath, is also a sex-aholic. He’s not a pervert, though, since he has enough money to buy all the gratification he needs (a different kind of perversion?). The terrorist, Lydia Andreyevna Karpov, is probably my sexiest creation. This brings me back to characters and the details mentioned above. Human beings are sexual. Sex, all kinds of sex—normal, kinky (what’s normal?), lesbian, gay—play such a role in human affairs that I believe characters become two-dimensional if there’s no sexuality. Maybe I’m wrong.

I’m reminded of the famous sci-fi writer Robert Heinlein who ended his life as a “dirty old man” if his last books are any indication. It all started more or less with Strangers in a Strange Land that became something like the hippies’ bible back in the sixties. Maybe he wrote an erotic novel at thirteen and came full circle? My writing future might come full circle too. Who knows?

I do know that sex and sexual tension are some of the details I’ve mentioned that are hard to write. To go from the scene title “Lydia seduces Enrique” in The Midas Bomb to describing the details was not easy for me. In this and many other instances, the adage “write what you know” just doesn’t cut it—the writer often has to use his greatest asset, his imagination. Sorry, that’s something you can’t teach—I don’t care how good your MFA program is.

I was de facto an only child. My brother, bless his soul, was six years older and generally didn’t like a little bugger like me tagging along in his “big boy” activities. I was forced to develop an active imagination. I wasn’t into imaginary friends or anything like that, but I would do things like pretend I was Tarzan and swing naked on a vine with knife clenched in my teeth and then drop into the murky waters of an irrigation ditch (Californian words for “river”). Moreover, I was an avid reader.

If you allow me to make the analogy between writing a novel and solving a physics problem, imagination is what we call the intuitive leaps we use to perform both these creative activities. Many of the details readers wonder about well up from that imagination spring. I think the proverbial writer’s block is just that spring running dry. I don’t know what to do for the writer when that happens. Wait for the Poland Springs truck, I guess.

Many writers only have one good story to tell. Two examples are Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird and Truman Capote’s In Cold Blood, although one can argue that Capote’s friend Lee should have been a co-author of Capote’s book. My old English prof, N. Scott Momaday (House Made of Dawn), is another example. Others have many stories to tell—both Heinlein and Asimov come to mind in the sci-fi world, Follett in the more literary world. The latter are lucky. The former, like Lee and Capote, sometimes lead traumatic lives (fortunately, Momaday hasn’t). Maybe the human tragedy is that often those single novels are superb works of art. It’s as if Beethoven wrote only one symphony.

I have the good fortune that I have many stories to tell. In my mind’s closets, there are many skeletons, many plots with a good number of scenes already configured. I just have to find time to write down the details. And there’s the rub….

***

Steven M. Moore has written six sci-fi thrillers: The Secret Lab, The Midas Bomb, Full Medical, Evil Agenda, Soldiers of God, and Survivors of the Chaos. The first is a novel for young adults. His interests include mathematics, physics, forensics, genetics, robotics, and scientific ethics, as well as writing dystopian novels containing a glimmer of hope. He has an active blog comprised of op-ed posts, book reviews, interviews, short stories, and comments on the writing business. His wife and he currently live in New Jersey. Visit him at his website: http://stevenmmoore.com.

Angel art by Adi Holzer

Winter Solstice Wednesday: Mother Night

2011-12-07T07:04:00.074-05:00

In her December meditation for BBI Media, the publisher of the magazines Witches&Pagans, Crone and SageWoman, writer/musician Lisa Wersal's winter thoughts were of the divine feminine. She writes, "Even now when I am no longer a practicing Christian, I still occasionally steal into Catholic churches to meditate in quiet candlelit alcoves dedicated to Our Lady. Several other feminine divinities also now capture my attention, and their representations grace my home mantle: Tibet’s compassionate Kwan Yin, the Hindu goddess Sarasvati, who inspires creative endeavors, and Yemaya, Brazil’s 'Mother of Pearls.' I invoke their guidance, their blessings, their healing."

This Winter Solstice month, I'd like to dedicate my Wednesdays to the goddesses associated with this time of the year.

Don't worry: WIP Wednesday will continue. If you'd like to share a blurb about a current work-in-progress, contact me at erinoriordan (at) sbcglobal (dot) net. We can do both. It's a flexible blog.

"Mother Night" is the Northern European name for the longest night of the year, according to GoddessGift.com. In Norse myth, it was on Mother Night that the great goddess Frigga, goddess of beauty, love and marriage, gave birth to her son Baldur. In ancient times, the Vikings burned candles on this night each year, then stored them away to burn again when a woman went into labor, as a blessing over the birthing process.

Baldur would eventually be killed by a dart made out of a mistletoe. Frigga, who can see the future and knew that Baldur would die, made every being on the earth promise not to hurt Baldur, but she neglected the mistletoe because she thought it was insignificant. The trickster-god Loki took advantage of Frigga's oversight and tricked Baldur's blind brother into hurling the mistletoe dart, unwittingly killing the beloved young god. Frigga's tears became the mistletoe's white berries.

Frigga's ability to see the future was related to her spinning wheel, the Wheel of Fate. By the names of Holda (Holle) and Bertha (Perchta), Frigga is associated in parts of Austria and Germany with the spinning maidens who punish lazy girls and reward industrious ones at this time of year. Generally, Holda is the kindly one, and Bertha is more frightening, but Bertha is known to give gifts of apples and nuts to young women who've been industrious at the spinning wheel. The Italians in Switzerland know her as Berta and associate her with La Befana, the benign gift-bestowing witch of Southern Italy. In Christian times, Holda and Bertha were sometimes assigned the task of guiding the souls of unbaptized children.

Sometimes Frigga (or Frigg) is differentiated from the Norse goddess Freya, but often they are thought to refer to the same being. Queen of the Valkyries, amorous Freya collects dead warriors from the battlefield, taking them to her hall to feast and joust and be her lovers. I wrote about Freya in "Black Bear Skin," a short story that appeared in Divine Matches.

The bawdy story of how Freya acquired the necklace of the Brisings, an exquisite ruby-and-amber piece, by agreeing to sexual shenanigans with the dwarves who created it has come down to us through folklore as the sweet children's story of Snow White and the Seven Dwarves. (We'll see if Kristen Stewart can give Snow White back her bad reputation when Snow White and the Huntsman comes out.)

Frigga/Freya gave her name to Friday. Freya also lends her name to erotic e-book publisher Freya's Bower.

That's the Winter Solstice goddess tradition in Northern Europe. Next week, we travel to India to learn more about Sarasvati, then go to Japan to meet Amaterasu.

The other reference I used is an old book called Christmas Customs and Traditions: Their History and Significance by Clement A. Miles.

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P.S. Mother Night is also a 1961 novel by Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. He took the title from Faust:

Faust. You call yourself a part, yet whole you're standing there.

Mephistopheles. A modest truth do I declare.
A man, the microcosmic fool, down in his soul
Is wont to think himself a whole,
But I'm part of the Part which at the first was all,
Part of the Darkness that gave birth to Light,
The haughty Light that now with Mother Night
Disputes her ancient rank and space withal,
And yet 'twill not succeed, since, strive as strive it may,
Fettered to bodies will Light stay.
It streams from bodies, it makes bodies fair,
A body hinders it upon its way,
And so, I hope, it has not long to stay
And will with bodies their destruction share.

Celebrating the Winter Solstice, Aspen Style ~ Guest Post by Jessica Aspen

2011-12-05T06:17:00.001-05:00

Growing up it took me a while to realize no one else in the neighborhood celebrated the Winter Solstice. As a Unitarian Family we were the oddballs anyway. We didn’t have to go to church if we didn’t feel like it, and when we did we were just as likely to learn about wildlife and sing protest songs as we were to learn about religion. At my house we had a tree, but didn’t go to services on Christmas and on the night of the Winter Solstice, we celebrated.

Maybe it was because of the Yule Log shape, maybe it was because it was cheap and wasn’t turkey or ham, but for some reason we traditionally have meatloaf for the Winter Solstice. Every year the delicious scent of my mom’s ketchup covered meatloaf would fill the air on the Winter Solstice and my heart would soar with anticipation. Not just because of the yummy food we would eat, but also because we would dance and sing Christmas songs and get to open the smallest present under the tree.

As an adult I’ve carried on the tradition for my own family. We still have meatloaf and sing songs, but we also light the Winter Solstice candles. One red and one green for the Lord and Lady of Winter. We talk about the dying of the light and the rebirth of the sun. And we still open a present. Some years we’ve gone to the local Unitarian Church and celebrated by walking the labyrinth and chanting with fellow solstice celebrants, but most years we just dance on our own.

My sisters and brother still have meatloaf every year too. They’ve all added their own twists to the Solstice Celebration, but one thing stays the same. Whether it’s a ground turkey meat loaf or Textured Vegetable Protein, ketchup still tops the traditional loaf. And everyone gets to open a present.

Jessica Aspen writes paranormal romance near the foothills of the Colorado Rockies. Her books are full of elves, were-wolves and sexy men who walk on the dark side of the knife. She loves dark chocolate, walking the dog, hiking and is obsessed with her new lap-top. Jessica is also obsessed with writing and learning about writing. She is a member of RWA, CRW, FF&P and PRO. Her debut sensual paranormal novella, Little Red Riding Wolf, comes out February 18, 2012 from Passion in Print Press.

You can discover more about Jessica at http://jessicaaspen.com. Jessica also is a regular contributor at http://paranormalfreebies.com, where paranormal readers and authors converge. Follow her on https://twitter.com/#!/JessicaAspen and https://Facebook.com/jessica.aspen

Jessica Aspen
paranormal author

Dare to enter my world…and discover your imagination.
http://JessicaAspen.com/

Little Red Riding Wolf-a sensual paranormal novella coming out February 18th, 2012
from Passion in Print Press

Excerpt from DREAM TRAVELER by Neil Ostroff

2011-12-03T07:00:00.003-05:00

DREAM TRAVELER Blurb: Every time Jamie Richards falls asleep, she’s bounced through time and injected into possible futures. And all of these diverse futures lead to one horrifying conclusion; the end of everything.

EXCERPT:

I am Vixtan!

Words came into Jamie Richards’ mind as clearly as if someone had spoken them aloud. She was instantly awake. Nausea swirled in her belly. Pins and needles prickled her skin. She sat up against the trunk of the old apple tree and looked around Macungie’s orchard.

“Who said that?” she asked.

Afternoon shadows had lengthened since she’d laid down to nap. The sky was mirror clear except for a puff of cloud suspended lazily above.

I must collect you!

The voice startled her again. It was so clear, so distinct. She scrambled to her feet.

You do not require a mortal shell to house your spirit as we travel the strings. I will provide a duplicate of your physical when we reach our destination.

“Who’s speaking?” she shouted. “Who’s there?”

She spun around and noticed someone lying beneath the apple tree with their hands pillowed behind their head and a math book beside them. She recognized the face. Fear spiked.

“That’s me!” she shrieked and looked down.

Nothing was there. Her body, her legs, her feet, everything was gone. Her unseen hands swished through empty space where her chest and stomach should have been.

The cloud dropped and enveloped the orchard in dense mist. The mist swirled and condensed into a single, basket-ball size ball of spinning fog.

Your spirit will only be away from this dimension for a few seconds. Your body will be safe.

Jamie looked at herself asleep under the tree.

“Is this a dream?” she asked.

Dream worlds are as real as the physical.

The cloud enveloped her consciousness and they bolted into the sky. It was a weird feeling, as if she were stuck inside a helium balloon let loose. Her belly swooned. Borders of the orchard disappeared as they reached the bright white haze of the upper atmosphere. A moment later, she felt Vixtan’s consciousness leave her own. Dots of multi-colored light appeared, swirled in a tornado around her, and assembled into her body, complete with the brown button-down shirt and blue jeans she’d been wearing. Air beneath her feet became a solid, yet marshmallow-consistency. She patted her face, her sides, wiggled her fingers and toes; ran a hand through her long, brown hair. It all felt real.

A humanoid being, small and rail-thin, stepped toward her. Two enormous, pupil-less black eyes stared at her from above a small, knobby nose and horizontal slot of a mouth. A gray body suit covered its entire body like skin. It had hooves for feet.

“Vixtan?” she questioned.

“This is what my people looked like before we evolved into pure energy,” Vixtan replied.

“What is this?” Jamie asked, her voice quaking. “Where am I?”

“Not where,” Vixtan corrected. “When. This is the city of Phelastia, which exists three hundred thousand years in your future.”

Mist cleared as if wiping a fogged lens. Huge, ivory-colored spires jutted into the pearly atmosphere and sparkled in the ultra-bright light shining from a pinpoint sun. A clear spheroid dome formed a soaring roof above the city’s other geometric-shaped buildings and encased the entire metropolis within a colossal, arcing, transparent shield. To their left, a shimmering, silver path cut through the swirling cloudscape and led into the great city.

Jamie stood stunned, slack-jawed, and stupefied. She scratched absently at a mosquito bite on her arm.

They stepped onto the shimmering path, which jiggled like gelatin as they walked. Dozens of beings nearly identical in appearance to Vixtan rose from the cloudscape and knelt as if she and Vixtan were passing royalty.

“Those who are able wanted to greet you outside the city despite the danger of drifting patches of Ru,” Vixtan said, and quickened his pace. “Most have never seen a pre-nova human, especially the chosen Fen Ta.”

Jamie kept up beside him and nearly stumbled into one of the kneeling figures before regaining her balance on the wiggling walkway. She glanced back along their path. The crowd of Phelastians followed a few yards behind and formed an entourage that swelled in size as they neared the city.

They approached two ornate iron gates guarded by Phelastians wearing full, knight-like body armor. The armor-wearing Phelastians bowed and waved them into an immense courtyard constructed of opalescent marble. A massive three-tiered fountain situated in the center, bubbled glacial-clear water that bounced and refracted brilliant winks of light. Manicured bushes covered with various shades of blue and green leaves grew in gold cylinders along the perimeter. Thin wisps of cloud-haze pooled in the uneven grooves and corners of the floor.

“This is amazing!” Jamie stated.

Vixtan nodded. “Our great city of Phelastia was our pride and joy.”

Jamie cocked her head. “Was?”

Vixtan continued through a smaller gateway, across the courtyard, and into an ornate cathedral with high, ivory walls. Crystal chandeliers hung from the vaulted ceiling.

They entered a wide columned hallway patterned with varying shades of white and gray marble. Pictures of orange trees ripe with fruit lined the walls. The hallway ended in a spacious room draped with elaborate tapestries of vivid color. Four Phelastians sat around a rectangular table carved from a huge purple gemstone. The Phelastian at the farthest end stood up.

“Welcome, Fen Ta,” the Phelastian greeted. “We are honored by your presence. My name is Shooka Ella. I am High Chair to the Council of Phelastia.”

An alarm blared. Mood instantly electrified. A dozen Phelastians clad in full armor marched into the room and lined up against the wall. Each held a metal tube about the size of a baton. Vixtan ushered Jamie to stand beside Shooka Ella.

“What’s happening?” she asked.

Phelastian soldiers aimed their metal tubes at a set of tall double doors at the far end of the room. Handles jiggled and the latch appeared to strain outward, as if something huge were pushing against it. Odors of raw onion overspread the room.

The doors burst open and a towering, albino, gorilla-like creature with long arms lumbered through the doorway. Fine, translucent fur covered its burly body. Knife-size talons poked from its thumbs and three fingers. It wore a brown tunic.

The creature faced Shooka Ella and then its enormous, pupil-less black eyes glared down at Jamie. A shiver raced along her spine.

“Is this the pre-nova human?” the creature growled.

“Yes,” Shooka Ella replied. “She will be the Fen Ta at the signing as Delegate Zare agreed.”

“I am Core!” the creature announced. “Leader of the Dwellers and successor to become overlord.”

Core lurched back from the table and the Phelastian guards targeted their metal tubes at his head. He curled his lips, exposing long, yellow, plaque-encrusted, canine teeth and laughed a sound like a pig slaughtered.

“No need for this aggressive display,” Core said. “If I wanted to destroy you, Shooka Ella, you’d already be a pile of dust sifting across your beautiful courtyard. We meet two hours before lights end at the Shrine of Bella to sign the treaty and formally end the hostilities. This is all I came here to say.”

Core loomed over Jamie and glowered. Fear prickled the small hairs on her neck.

“Your generation is weak, human!” he stated. “It sickens me that I evolved from you.”

He strode through the double doors and two soldiers moved quickly to close and lock them.

Shooka Ella turned to Vixtan. “Take the Fen Ta to the nutrient replenishment structure and then show her the places we discussed. Bring her to my chambers for a final briefing when your task is complete.”

Come Be Merry at the Witches' Ball, December 10

2011-12-01T07:09:00.014-05:00

Deck the Halls
Holly, Mistletoe and Pine
Wassail and Sweets for Everyone
Twinkling Candles Bright
Magick in the Air
Yuletide Carols
Spread Good Cheer
At the Witches’ Yule Ball!

Join us in all your winter splendor on December 10 to share your Yule trees, decorations, crafts, rituals, spells, recipes, parties and more. Hope to see you there!

Sincerely, Dana & Tenae

Rules:

1. Please copy the flyer onto your blog as soon as you sign up. We will add a link to your blog to the end of this post on each of our blogs once you have posted the flyer.

2. Create a Yule-themed post to share on your blog on December 10.

3. Comment with a link directly to your post on either (or both!) of the party posts at The Witch of Howling Creek or On the Broomstick.

4. Make new friends and spread some Yuletide cheer!

Links to attach to the button:

http://witchofhowlingcreek.wordpress.com/
http://onthebroomstick.blogspot.com/

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WIP Wednesday: "Twilight of the Goddesses"

2011-11-30T07:33:00.029-05:00

Are you an author? Would you like to tease future readers with a blurb about your current work in progress on a WIP Wednesday? If so, e-mail me at erinoriordan (at) sbcglobal (dot) net. For the month of December, I'll be supplementing WIP Wednesdays with Winter Solstice posts - it'll officially be known as Winter Solstice Wednesday - but I'd still love to hear about what you're currently reading and share it with my readers.

Erin O'Riordan: I'm offering the full (1,400-word) version of this post as a guest post in today's BloggerLinkUp newsletter. This is just a little taste.

"Twilight of the Goddesses" by Erin O'Riordan

Inside every woman there is a goddess archetype, according to the feminist classic Goddesses in Everywoman. Jean Shinoda Bolen’s 1984 book combined the psychology of women with classical Greek mythology to describe seven personality types. These goddess archetypes reoccur in women’s lives and in literature.

The women of Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight series are deeply in touch with their inner goddesses. Bella Swan, the human (at least until the fourth book) heroine of the series, has been criticized for her passivity, submissiveness and resemblance to a stereotypical damsel in distress. Yet the storybook cliché of the woman in need of rescue has a deeper meaning, a resonance with one of the classical goddesses of Greek mythology. From motherly Esme to the half-breed infant Nessie, the women of Twilight resemble five of Shinoda Bolen’s seven goddesses.

Alice ~ Athena

In Greek mythology, Athena was the warrior-goddess of wisdom. She was the patroness of great heroes including Achilles, Perseus and Jason. Alice Cullen has her own hero: Jasper Cullen, formerly a general in an ambitious vampire’s territory wars. Athena entered the pantheon of Greek deities as a full-grown adult; Alice joined the Cullen vampire coven not as a human but as a fully-formed vampire. Athena’s was also goddess of crafts; Alice has a talent for planning over-the-top, sophisticated parties.

Women who follow the Athena archetype always know what to wear. Alice has a distinctive sense of fashion and helps Bella choose outfits for special occasions. Athena women want to marry powerful, successful men; Alice is inseparable from Jasper. Wise Athena women go through life seeing clearly, but Alice does them one better: she has visions, literally seeing the future clearly.

Both images are in the public domain.

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The Best Parts of Breaking Dawn (Pt. 1)

2011-11-26T22:56:00.001-05:00

I saw The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Pt. 1 earlier today. Be prepared for spoilers if you haven't read the book/seen the movie yet.

Everyone seems to either love this series or hate it, but I love it. I wasn't so into the first third of Stephenie Meyer's first novel, but by the end I was Team Edward, and I devoured the last three books in huge chunks. I think I read Bree Tanner the first week it was out. I've been waiting to see the fourth movie brought to the big screen since - forever, it seems.

My verdict is this: see it twice. See it once to enjoy the story and then once again just to take in the visuals. Director Bill Condon has made a lovely spectacle of Meyer's fourth novel - and how could he not? What could be more visually striking than a vampire wedding, glamorous with sinister undertones?

Bella's dress is gorgeous, with a criss-cross pattern in the front and an impossibly delicate gauzy fabric holding the pearl buttons in place in the back. Equally well-done was Bella's eye makeup, a blend of smoky colors. I'd award it Second Best Eye Makeup in a Vampire Series, because frankly I still can't get over how True Blood's makeup artist does Jessica's eyes. I love Kristen Stewart's chestnut Bella hair color, but you have to admit, Deborah Ann Woll's "Jessica red" is very striking.

The best hair of Breaking Dawn Part 1 belongs to Taylor Lautner as Jacob and Julia Jones as Leah. Their characters go through a lot of emotional pain and suffering in this installment, but it never dulls the luster of their thick, perfectly straight, blue-black hair. They must have either an indigenous beauty secret or a werewolf one.

P.S. Taylor Lautner, I predict, will play Tane in the movie version of Beauty Queens.

The eyes have Bella, but the best-looking lips (other than Robert Pattinson's, of course) in the wedding scene belong to Bella's Forks High classmate Angela, played by Christian Serratos.

Sarah Clarke, as Esme, deserves an award for her mother-of-the-groom dress. The combination of platinum sequins and plum accents neither washed out her pale skin nor made her look too matronly.
It makes sense: literary Esmes are well-known for their fashion sense. Consider only Esme Squalor of A Series of Unfortunate Events, with her stiletto heels that were, literally, stilettos.

The Most Reformed Character award surely goes to Rosalie, as played by Nikki Reed. Rosalie pissed me off in New Moon. Yet, as soon as I saw her ferocity in guarding pregnant Bella, she won me over. What an ode to sisterhood! Rosalie is like a feminist vampire super-shero, avenging sexual assaults and standing up to fight for Bella's reproductive freedom.

That should totally be a spin-off comic book series. Somebody run that idea by Stephenie Meyer, please. Said comic book should contain lots of gratuitous shirtless Emmett. (Why not? Boys always put girls with giant boobs in their comic books.)

Images:
Deborah Ann Woll: Thomas Attila Lewis, Creative Commons
Christian Serratos: © Glenn Francis, www.PacificProDigital.com
Nikki Reed by David Shankbone, Creative Commons
Femme Fatale: http://cococorsola.tumblr.com/post/6573247130/made-this-for-another-blog-but-posting-it-here

Literary Links to Love V

2011-11-26T06:36:00.004-05:00

It's Small Business Saturday, so if you're buying books today, please visit a small, locally-owned bookstore in person or online.

The nominees for the 2011 Bad Sex Awards are in. Sorry, Stephen King. It's interesting to note that only two of the nominees have ever been women.

Of course, we all enjoyed Neil Gaiman's guest appearance on last Sunday's Simpsons. In the episode, Lisa Simpson struggled to get started on a YA novel while a team led by Bart and Homer produced a bestseller about teenage troll twins who go to school under a bridge. "I hope we put enough steampunk in...whatever that is." ~Homer

Love video games, but not the blood-and-guts, shoot-'em-up kind? Maybe the Jane Austen video game is for you.

Or maybe you prefer the Jane Austen fight club.

Jane Austen's Fight Club from Keith Paugh on Vimeo.

Love reading, but don't want to get roped into a series? Try these 10 stand-alone novels.

I'm probably at the movies watching Breaking Dawn Part 1 today, so I must include some blood-sucking links:

Vampire munchies: bleeding cupcakes and the Vampire's Blood cocktail

It's not even Winter Solstice yet, but Season 5 of True Blood is already starting to take shape. Joe Manganiello offers a few spoilers, suggesting the upcoming season will be werewolf-intense.

But what makes a good vampire? An Anne Rice fan sounds off.

Finally, having seen "Marry the Night: The Prelude Pathetique" followed by a preview, I await Lady Gaga's official "Marry the Night" video.

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Happy Thanksgiving! I am thankful for...

2011-11-24T07:38:00.030-05:00

This November, I'm thankful for the big things and for the little things. Most importantly, I'm thankful for my awesome husband/co-writer Tit Elingtin, my family, having a warm house and food, clean water, being able to read and write, having had the chance to go to school and freedom of speech. I'm thankful whenever someone reads one of my books. I’m grateful to live within walking distance of a library.

I'm grateful to live in the U.S., where various religious groups coexist peacefully most of the time. I was raised Catholic (it didn't stick), sometimes attend Episcopalian (Church of England) services, have one Jewish grandmother, observe the Pagan wheel of the year, revere a variety of goddesses and love Shiva. I cherish being free to practice the religious traditions that are meaningful to me. I cherish learning from a wide variety of philosophies and traditions.

At the risk of being labeled a crazy cat lady writer, I’m also thankful for my feline familiar, James the cat:

His face looks a little bit like a butterfly.

Every year at Thanksgiving time, I also like to take time to be grateful for the little things that make life so pleasant and interesting. There are many of them, so I could go on and on. In the interest of avoiding endless rambling, I decided to share just ten of my many, many favorite things. In no particular order, they are:

1 - Playing in the park with my nieces

2 - The music of Lady Gaga. It works well with many kinds of video, including the Powerpuff Girls.

3 - The Vampire Diaries Season 3. Pretty much anything with vampires, really. Or werewolves.

4 - Wuthering Heights (and its vampire version, Wuthering Bites).

5 - Green tea with pomegranate, pumpkin spice latte, and other hot beverages that make winter a little easier to take.

6 - Dark chocolate-covered cherries. Dark chocolate in general. Milk chocolate, occasionally.

7 - Draft Guinness

8 - The Simpsons. Maybe it’s because there’s a little bit of brainy, opinionated, nature-loving Lisa Simpson in me, but I like to have my near-daily Simpsons fix. Except on Saturday; that’s when I watch Futurama.

9 - The river view out my kitchen window, and the sound of the not-too-distant waterfall.

10 - Anything and everything having to do with my #1 celebrity crush, Christian Bale.

Have a blessed and peaceful Thanksgiving, and may you have many things to be grateful for. In case you don't visit my blog again next month, I'll say it now: have a wonderful Winter Solstice, a happy Hanukkah and a merry Christ(ian Bale)mas.

Now it's your turn. What's one thing you're thankful for?

Guinness photo by Aaron Keys, public domain image.

SaveySpender.com Presents a Highland Book Contest (and my dinner)

2011-11-23T21:06:00.002-05:00

I must offer thanks (it is Thanksgiving Eve, after all) to another blog - www.saveyspender.com. About a month ago, I entered a contest on that blog to win lunch from Bob Evans. I won, and tonight I cashed in my gift voucher to share an early supper with Tit Elingtin at BE. I ordered the above deep-dish chicken noodle bowl, a carbohydrate paradise with homestyle noodles, mashed potatoes, turkey slices and chicken soup on top of a biscuit.

So good - like an Eastern European-style wedding feast in a single bowl. Naturally, there were leftovers.

FYI, I'm not sure if I'll be eating any of the traditional American Thanksgiving foods tomorrow or not. My cooking-averse family is gathering at our usual Sunday brunch place, but this will be our first time trying it for a holiday lunch. Or for lunch, period. I'm not sure if there will be a special menu or just lunch as usual. It'll be a surprise.

But tonight, thanks to SaveySpender.com, we had turkey on our way to Macy's to buy my mother's birthday present (a David & Young "Softer Than Cashmere" scarf and matching hat). Her 50-something birthday is Friday.

One of SaveySpender's current giveaways (through December 4) is a set of two Scottish Highland romance novels, Highland Hero by Amanda Scott and The Sinner by Margaret Mallory. Enter the contest here.

Don't forget, you can still enter the Pagan Spirits book contest to win Tao Song and Tao Dance. See the November 21 post for details.

WIP Wednesday with Teri Louise Kelly and Jesse V. Coffey

2011-11-23T07:28:00.029-05:00

Are you an author? Would you like to tease future readers with a blurb about your current work in progress on a WIP Wednesday? If so, e-mail me at erinoriordan (at) sbcglobal (dot) net.

Erin O'Riordan: "Pucked" is out in Erotica, Volume 3: Four Hot New Tales of Desire, edited by Barbara Cardy. This sizzling brand-new short was inspired by A Midsummer Night's Dream. It's available on Amazon.co.uk, too, but here in the U.S. the Kindle price is only $1.38!

Teri Louise Kelly: Journey to the Start of a Trilogy

It didn’t start that way.

It started as an idea several years ago about a serial killer called the Toolman. He was a hardware nut, killed people with nail guns and hammer drills, got himself wrapped up in torque. It was written as a short story, won an award I seem to recall. Then I left him there and went onto St Angelinas, an island – I had this thing about island life, it’s insular lifestyle and tainted bloodlines. Paganism, I wanted them to have burned blasphemers along a cliff headland – Bonfyre Night on St Angelinas, it was a big tourist drawcard. Dumped that too after sixty pages, moved to memoir, and then these past two-years I wrote a Spec Fiction entitled Cultivores (Released Dec 15), about life after a climate atrocity and I used both the Toolman and St Angelinas in it.

Which took me right back to the island and the two characters I’d left there years ago, Boogie Cane and Dana De Lalley, drunk journo and new-to-island homicide cop. Re-titled Pretey Deyde Gyrls (after the island’s hatred of the letter “I”) I’m reacquainting myself with mysterious deaths and weathermen who read poetry . . . it’s odd, but sometimes going back is better than going forward . . . and anyhow, how do you catch a killer that might not even physically exist? I love island life . . .

Find Teri Louise Kelly online at http://open-bks.com/writers-corner/kelly-louise-teri/teri-louise-kelly.html

Jesse V. Coffey: When I wrote the first book in the Brothers Cameron series, I had no intention of making it into a series. I really had no intention of writing a romance novel, but it certainly became one quickly. But to write more than one book? Never crossed my mind. Until I started describing the original story to a friend, and in the telling, one book led to another and the adventures in that book. Which led to another and the adventures there. I realized -- wow, I had a series. Three books, to be certain, but still a series. And now, several years after writing An Opportunity for Resentment, I slip back into this world of mine with amazing ease.

A Crooked Rainbow Trail picks up about four months after the end of Opportunity. Stephan and Jessica are still very much in love and plan to wed, but Stephan is dragging his heels in calling the banns. William has wed his beloved Mary and become the town patron in the place of his deceased father, but he'd rather be breeding horses and spending his days as a gentleman farmer. Old enemies resurface from book one and make their way into book two. Jessica's former love, Robin St. Thomas, finds out that her father's will states that she must marry within the six month after the man's death or she will lose everything. He's strapped for cash and will do anything to get his hands on her and her fortune. William's nemesis, the Irish mercenary/assassin Cieran Morris, wants revenge and he's willing to do whatever it takes to kill his enemy. So many lives will be thrown into turmoil...and death is around the corner.

Back into my world, writing this story has become a labor of love for me. I hope it pleases those who read the books. While you wait for this one, The Brothers Cameron: An Opportunity for Resentment is available on Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble.com, and iTunes/iBookstore, along with any online bookstore that sells ebooks. A Crooked Rainbow Trail will be released in 2012, along with book three, A Wild Heart.

The way things are going, a fourth book -- as yet untitled -- will be out in 2013. I hope you'll read along.

http://www.jessevcoffey.com
http://www.facebook.com/tbcbooks
http://www.facebook.com/groups/216074215082369/

Excerpt from introduction - Tao Song & Tao Dance by Dr. Zhi Gang Sha

2011-11-21T08:00:00.000-05:00

Leave a comment with an e-mail address for a chance to win Dr. Sha's book! Contest runs November 21-24, with the winner chosen by Random.org on the 25th.

What if you could relax, feel refreshed and rejuvenated by spending 15 minutes a day with a 3 word meditation-like mantra?

In modern society, we embrace various aspects of Chinese culture from understanding Yin Yang principles to designing homes using Feng Shui to referring to Karmic repercussions within our lifetime, to employing "mind over matter" to get us through the hardships. Now, Dr. Zhi Gang Sha takes us to the next level by teaching us a 3 word mantra that is designed to revitalize our mood -- and can be done while riding to work each morning, or a midday "power chant" (instead of power nap) by saying these words, "Peace, Love, Harmony" for 15 minutes a day.

In his new book, Tao Song & Tao Dance, Dr. Sha teaches how people can create positive energy through songs. He literally tells readers that you can sing and dance your way to enlightenment.

Reincarnation is a universal law. Human beings reincarnate.
Mother Earth reincarnates. Mother Earth’s
reincarnation goes through a cycle of phases or eras. Each one
lasts fifteen thousand years.

Mother Earth is in a transition period now. In the last few
years, we have seen more and more natural disasters, including
earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions, hurricanes, floods,
droughts, tornadoes, and more. Financial challenges and many
other challenges are deeply affecting humanity and Mother
Earth. Millions of people are suffering from all kinds of sickness,
in the spiritual, mental, emotional, and physical bodies. Wars,
power struggles, greed—all kinds of unpleasant things are taking
place all around us on Mother Earth now.

You may be wondering why humanity and Mother Earth are
suffering like this. What are the root causes of the suffering?
What can we do about the suffering?
More and more people are searching for spiritual secrets,
wisdom, knowledge, and practical techniques to transform the
suffering of humanity and Mother Earth, in order to enjoy good
health, relationships, and finances.

There could be thousands of explanations for the causes of
the suffering. I would like to summarize my
personal insights in a one-sentence secret:

Bad karma is the root cause of the suffering
of humanity and Mother Earth.

Mother Earth is going through a special time of transition and
humanity is enduring great suffering because of bad karma that has
been created over thousands of years. War, killing, greed, corruption,
stealing, cheating, taking advantage of others, power struggles,
damaging Mother Earth, including cutting of forests, wrenching
natural resources from the land and the water, testing nuclear weapons,
pollution, and much more have created huge bad karma.
Karma is easy to understand. Karma is cause and effect. Humanity
has harmed each other tremendously. Humanity has damaged
Mother Earth almost beyond repair.

According to the spiritual guidance that I have received from
Heaven, Mother Earth’s transition could last another ten years
and become much heavier. The best way
to help humanity and Mother Earth get through this difficult
time is to join the hearts and souls of humanity in unconditional
service, which is selfless service to others. This will empower humanity to self-clear its bad karma.

How can a person self-clear bad karma? One must offer love,
forgiveness, compassion, and light to others.

Love melts all blockages and transforms all life.

When you experienced true love from your loved ones, from
your spiritual fathers and mothers, and from the Divine and Tao,
your heart was deeply moved, touched, and opened. True love is a golden key
to unlock any door in your life, in the lives
of your loved ones, and for Mother Earth.

Forgiveness brings inner joy and inner peace.

Think about all of your relationships. Think about you and
your spouse or partner, your girlfriend or boyfriend, your children
and parents. Have you ever been upset in any of these relationships?
Have you been irritated, angry, jealous, or had vengeful
thoughts? Think about other relationships—between companies, organization,
religions, and nations.

If unconditional forgiveness could be applied in all of these
relationships, peace and harmony would occur.
There would be no conflict on Mother Earth.
Forgiveness is another golden key to transform all life by
bringing inner joy and inner peace.

Compassion boosts energy, stamina, vitality, and immunity.

Compassion touches one’s heart and soul deeply. Compassion can remove
all kinds of blockages. Compassion boosts energy, stamina, vitality,
and immunity. Compassion is the third golden key to transform all life.

Light heals, prevents sickness, rejuvenates, and transforms
every aspect of life, including relationships and finances.

Light is the fourth golden key to transform all life. A human
being needs physical food to sustain and nourish physical life. A
soul needs soul food to sustain and nourish soul life.
Light is soul food. Love, forgiveness, and compassion are also
soul food. Light can remove all kinds of blockages to transform
health, relationships, and finances.

Love, forgiveness, compassion, and light are the four golden
keys to unlock any door in your life. In Tao Song & Tao Dance,
I will lead you in many practices to apply love, forgiveness, compassion, and
light to self-clear bad karma and to transform every aspect of
your life.

There are ancient secrets for transforming karma and Master Sha introduces these secrets along with Soul Power:

• shen mi (pronounced shun mee) - “Shen mi” means body secret. Many spiritual practitioners use special hand positions called mudras when they meditate. These special hand (and body) positions promote energy flow within the body to remove blockages. Where you put your hands is where you receive healing, rejuvenation, and longevity.

• kou mi (pronounced koe mee) - “Kou mi” means mouth secret. This secret is to chant mantras. There are many ancient mantras that are extremely powerful for
healing, rejuvenation, purification, and cleansing karma. What you chant is what you become.

• yi mi (pronounced yee mee) - “Yi mi” means thinking secret. This secret is to purify the mind. To stop negativity and think positively, with love, forgiveness, compassion, and light, is vital for purification and clearing all types of mind blockages. Where you concentrate in your body is where you receive healing, rejuvenation, transformation, and enlightenment.

• soul power, which is a most important divine technique that the Divine guided me to teach humanity. Soul Power means to say hello through soul communication. Directly call the souls of buddhas, holy saints, healing angels, archangels, ascended masters, lamas, gurus, and all kinds of spiritual fathers and mothers to come to heal and bless you. Souls, including the Divine and Tao, are available if you call them.

Tao Song and Tao Dance: Sacred Sound, Movement, and Power from the Source for Healing, Rejuvenation, Longevity,and Transformation of All Life by Dr. Zhi Gang Sha. Dr. Sha is the New York Times Bestselling author of the Soul Power Series with Atria Books (Simon & Schuster). He was trained as a conventional medicine doctor and a doctor of traditional Chinese medicine. Dr. Sha is the founder of the Institute of Soul Healing and Enlightenment and is a grandmaster of many ancient disciplines, including tai chi, qi gong, feng shui, and the I Ching. www.DrSha.com

The Chronicles of Narnia, #JunkFoodNovels Style

2011-11-19T07:30:00.003-05:00

#JunkFoodNovels is a super-fun, time-wasting TweetMeme that publisher W.W. Norton initiated. Participants tweet the names of novels, with key words replaced with the names of junk foods. So, for example, A Christmas Carol becomes A Christmas Caramel, and Gravity's Rainbow becomes Gravy's Rainbow.

Last night I tweeted The Lion, The Witch and The Waffles. Upon further reflection, one could junk food up the entire series:

The Magician's Necco Wafers

The Lion, The Witch and the Waffles (comes next, of course)

The Horse-tess Cupcake and His Boy

Disney Princess Fruit Snacks Caspian

The Voyage of the Frosted Shredded Wheater

The Silver Chairry Pie

The Last Bottle Caps

Bottle Caps is a good one, by the way - it's a candy made by the Willy Wonka Candy Company, a real candy company inspired by the fictional candy company in a Roald Dahl novel!

If you want to follow me on Twitter, I am ErinORiordan.

Photos:
Jill Robidoux, public domain
Evan-Amos, public domain (cupcake and Bottle Caps)
Julie, Creative Commons license

Postscript: If you love Hostess cupcakes, you might like to wear this matching cupcake-inspired camisole and panties by Backseat by Undergirl. (It's not the best photo, for you see, my college design notebook turned out to be surprising difficult to photograph.) Or you can add them to your collection of pastry-themed underwear and, on occasion, loan them to your superhero-loving rock star boyfriend while you wear his Superman undies.

Biography of Francisco Balagtas - The Unrivaled Poet Within

2011-11-18T06:48:00.007-05:00

Francisco Balagtas was one of the most prolific writers of his time. He was a writer of romantic poems and lived in the Philippines. Many in the Philippines consider Francisco Balagtas as a comparable version of Sir William Shakespeare. Here is his biography.

The Early Work of Balagtas

As the youngest of four children of Juan Baltazar and Dela Cruz, Francisco Baltazar’s last name was later changed to Balagtas. He grew up in poverty, but despite this, he always found creative ways to broaden his knowledge. Whether it was the sound of a dog barking or the noise of a horse running, Balagtas would use these sounds to inspire him to write. One of Francisco Balagtas’s early works was “Florante at Laura,” which is a love story depicting the romantic days of Florante and Laura during challenging times.

His Education

Balagtas’s early education started at a Catholic school in Bigaa where he learnt the catechism and prayers. At the age of eleven, he went to Manila and served as a servant to a prominent family living in Tondo.

As a servant in his master’s house, Balagtas took advantage of the many books available to him while working at his master’s house by doing a lot of reading. When his master saw this dedication in his servant, he assisted Balagtas to pursue his studies. Balagtas, eager for the opportunity, grabbed it and afterwards, moved from being a servant to an educated multiple degree holder.

While doing further studies, his teachers Dr. Mario Pilapil and Jose Dela Cruz were pleased with his performance. Because of his education, Balagtas worked harder at improving his writing of poetry.

The Love Life of Francisco Balagtas

Sometime in 1835, Francisco Balagtas met the woman who eventually inspired him to write "Florante at Laura." Even though the relationship caused him to make many sacrifices, it ended in pain and suffering.

Still hurting, Balagtas continued writing his true love, which was poetry. He later married and the union produced eleven children.

Balagtas died in 1862; however, upon his death he left an array of comedies, plays and poems that not only thrilled the hearts of the Philippine people, but the entire world.

Author’s Bio:
The Biography of Francisco Balagtas is just one of the works of guest contributor Christa Blair. She writes for BiographyArchive.Com and has written several other biographies of famous Filipino heroes and poets.

The Ultimate Twilight Fan LinkUp Post!

2011-11-17T19:37:00.002-05:00

I'm not usually one to join in memes, but I love The Twilight Saga. Want to link up, or just join in the Breaking Dawn Pt. 1 madness? Drop by Fabulous But Evil.

Are you going to see Breaking Dawn at the midnight release?

Hells to the no! I want to watch the movie in peace, not in a ginormous, super-excited crowd. I'll wait ten days or so and go in the middle of the week.

Team Edward or Jacob?

I love me a good werewolf, but in this case, Team Edward all the way.

Favorite character in the series and why?

Carlisle Cullen, because he's so noble and such a perfect father-figure for Edward. And anyway, you might think that Emmett would be the wildest one in bed, but I bet it's Carlisle, 'cause sometimes it's the one you least suspect.

(I know - Peter Facinelli doesn't really look like Carlisle unless he's blond. The photo is by Tararebeka, Creative Commons license.)

Why do you love Twilight?

My mom wanted me to read the first book because she found it so romantic. "It made me remember being young and in love for the first time," she said. I was bored at the beginning of the book - all the exposition - but by the end, I was completely hooked.

Are the books or movies better?

A movie is just a story snack, but a book is a well-balanced story meal. In my imagination, the vampires are even more sparkly in sunlight than they made them in the movies.

Why does this post have so many page views, but no comments? If you're a Twilight fan reading this, please leave a comment with a link to one of your Twilight posts so I can comment back!

WIP Wednesday with R.G. Porter

2011-11-16T06:45:00.035-05:00

Erin O'Riordan: As I shared last week, the project I'm working on right now is the Sex Tales From West County series with Ken Charles.

Between the time I finish that one and January 31st, I'll be making edits to my short story "Sheep Shifter," in which an adult Alice returns to Wonderland with the help of Carl Jung, discovers a new ability and frees herself to explore her darkest desires. This one does not yet have a definite home.

I'll then be working on another as-yet-unclaimed piece of work, my submission to Melange Books' "Having My Baby" anthology. I'll be dusting off an old, but previous unpublished, short story, adding another thousand words or two to what, at the moment, is a rather brief narrative.

My next priority will be editing a short story called "Aftercare." Its destination is a Breathless Press m/m anthology called Ad-dick-tion Volume 2. It's the continuing story of lovers Maggie, Max and Joey, a triad I introduced in "Post Op," published in Indecent Encounters. The final editorial due date on this one is March 30th.

Then I can begin writing my alternative-history vampire tale for submission to the anthology tentatively titled Vampyres: A History Written in Blood. At the moment, I expect the historical vampire I'm going to turn into a vampire is Bessie Smith. She will be scheming to get a meeting with George Gershwin.

R. G. Porter: The call of the night drove her to find the truth…

As the darkness continues to crouch upon the lands, Danicayne's nightmares increase. Her visions of the future can't be denied and soon she finds she must leave the safety of her family and find the ones who are lost. It is their past that must be unraveled before the evil consumes the world.

Forced out by the only people he's known, Terrian finds himself on the hunt for the truth of his origin. Accidents and memories haunt him and uncontrolled outbursts of flame and ice are only the beginning of his problems. On the hunt to find out who he is, he awakens more than just what's been forgotten. He finds a mirror image of himself, as well the final key to end the darkness that threatens to engulf the world.

Two paths drawn together by a divine past and a specific purpose - to join the circle that will vanquish the evil once and for all…

Or perish trying.

Winner of the "Thanks For the Books Hop" Giveaway

2011-11-15T07:53:00.001-05:00

I hope you've had fun with the Thanks for the Books Hop. According to Random.org, the winner of the Thanks for the Books Hop giveaway is...

Kathryn Merkel!

Kathryn, I'll be sending you an e-mail so you can let me know where to send the box of paperbacks.

I'm thankful to everyone who entered the contest, and as my way of saying "Thanks for following, for loving books and for supporting book bloggers," I'm giving everyone who entered the contest an e-book copy of Beltane.

Beauty Queens of Only 18 and Misery

2011-11-14T19:59:00.003-05:00

I said that after I finished Justin Cronin's epic post-apocalyptic vampire novel The Passage, my brain would need a break from lengthy dark fiction. It's huge - and only the first third of a trilogy! Cronin, I think, intends to be to scary vampires what James Fenimore Cooper was to American Indians.

I said that my next book would be the more lighthearted Beauty Queens by YA author Libba Bray. Not entirely lighthearted - it does begin with the plane crash that strands the survivors, all contestants in a teen beauty contest, on a tropical island. But there is plenty of lip gloss and stilettos and snark.

About a third of the way in, I love this book. My favorite character may be Adina, Miss New Hampshire, a journalist embedded in the pageant. She's a smart, Jewish feminist - sort of a teenage Emma Goldman. I also like lesbian, comic-book-loving Miss Michigan (Jennifer) and Indian-American Miss California (Shanti). The whole thing is a delicious send-up of pop culture and sexism. The young characters are learning that their bodies are instruments as well as ornaments.

Sometimes when I see the cover sitting on the table, I think of the Maroon 5 song, "She Will Be Loved." Its lyrics begin with, "Beauty queen of only 18..."

Between the link I shared (previous post) about Adam Levine's superhero underpants and snatches of that song stuck in my brain, it's no wonder I had a sex dream about Levine last night. (Plus I dream about Adam Levine a lot, far more than I dream about Christian Bale. It's just like that Maroon 5 song "Can't Stop." I half suspect Levine is my Jungian animus.) Fair warning: I dream dirty:

I (my teenage self, about the same age as the characters in Beauty Queens) was in a sort of hotel that doubled as a 24-hour movie theatre, on a road trip with my Aunt Susan. In the morning, Susan told me to get ready to leave, so I went into the bathroom, and Adam came in after me. Soon we were dry humping - like Justin Timberlake and Cameron Diaz in Bad Teacher, only face-to-face. I was pleasantly surprised to find out his dick (through his black jeans) felt much, much bigger and fatter than I would have imagined. I told him that when I was home from this road trip (out from under the watchful eye of Aunt Susan, that is), we would have actual sex.

It's not actual sex, but the common consensus on YouTube is that the Maroon 5 video "Misery" is masochist porn.

Some of what the skinny blonde girl (she's Anne Vyalitsyna) does might be acceptable in the context of an S/M relationship. Some of it is just plain mean. I have sorted some of her acts into the categories of Go and No Go. I couldn't decide on one of them.

Go:

-Shoving him up against a chain-link fence

-Lip-biting

-Twisting his arm behind his back

-Ear-biting

Borderline:

-The knife play

No Go:

-Head-butt

-Kick in the face

-Pushing him through a plate-glass window

-Throwing him off the roof

-The shoulder-fired grenade and the Molotov cocktail. I know Israelis use "to take up arms" as slang for sex, but in actual practice, firearms are not sexy. Blades are a little more so.

But that's just my personal comfort level. If you and your partner are comfortable with head-butts and face-kicks, I'm not judging you.

I'm being somewhat facetious, of course. Remember what I said in "How to Play a LoveGame in 5 Gaga Steps:"

"You’ve flirted with the BDSM look; now you might choose to kick the kink up a notch. You could try leather restraints, leashes, a body harness, a straightjacket, or another type of full-body restraint...If you’d like to try restraint play for the first time (or the first time with a new partner), use common-sense safety and comfort measures. Establish some boundaries and agree on a safe word that stops all play, no questions asked. Keep an eye on the person who’s restrained, and never cover up both the nose and mouth, especially when using a gag. Play delicately around the joints, face, neck, and other body parts that can easily be injured, and realize that holding one position for a long time can cause fatigue and discomfort."

Hmm, that gives me an idea. Maybe I should write "How to Play a LoveGame in Maroon 5 Steps."

Make Custom Gifts at CafePress

Literary Links to Love IV + Patriotic/Dirty

2011-11-11T08:55:00.008-05:00

Happy Veteran's Day!

Hopping by from the Thanks For the Books Blog Hop? Want to win a box of paperbacks? See the giveaway post here.

Miranda Sherman was kind enough to review Eminent Domain here.

This is too cute: the Hokey Pokey, William Shakespeare style.

In case you missed it the first time here on Pagan Spirits, Brandy at GiveawayBlogdom has reposted the curried pumpkin soup recipe I prepared from Jill Silverman Hough's book 100 Perfect Pairings.

Two of my favorite subjects: Roy Askham, the author of Edward the Twisted Queens (historical time-travel BDSM erotica), writes a blog called Sex and the Spiritual Life.

The female-empowerment blog The New Scheherazades featured a book called What Women Know by Michelle Jackson and Dr. Juliet Bressan. The authors are from Ireland. The book collects bits of wisdom women had passed down from their grandmothers and mothers.

Can I count set photos of The Dark Knight Rises as a literary link? Of course I can - Batman started out as a comic book! Christian Bale looks really hot on a return trip from Starbucks, winter-themed coffee cup in hand. See here.

See also this serious (but very interesting) academic discussion, "Building a Better Batmobile," about how Batman as a fictional character is portrayed between the two poles of the Gothic and Pop Art aesthetics.

Speaking of the Bale-Steinem family, Ms. Magazine founder/feminist icon and incidentally Christian's stepmom Gloria Steinem recently weighed in on the Victoria's Secret fashion show. She says, "Women's bodies are not just ornaments, they're instruments." Read about it at The Cut. I wonder what Steinem would say about this blog post? It features male and female bodies as ornaments.

Speaking of the Victoria's Secret fashion show, model Anne Vyalitsyna, superhot girlfriend of Maroon 5's Adam Levine, revealed an interesting tidbit about her boyfriend: he collects men's superhero underwear. She likes to wear them to bed. This also comes from The Cut. Oh yeah, Levine definitely deserves the top spot on the Jewish Dudes I'd Most Like to See Lewd list - especially if he wears Batman undies.

Image attribution:
Adam Levine by BurtonTedder, Creative Commons License

Veterans Day Pictures Comments - Photobucket

WIP Wednesday Returns, with R.C. Beckom

2011-11-09T07:34:00.029-05:00

Hopping by from the Thanks For the Books Blog Hop? Want to win a box of paperbacks? See the giveaway post here.

Are you an author with a current work-in-progress? Would you like to tease your work on a future WIP Wednesday? If so, please e-mail Erin O'Riordan: erinoriordan (at) sbcglobal (dot) net

Erin O'Riordan: I'm collaborating on an erotic novella with Ken Charles. Ken has two works - The Mercies of Cinderella (Feb. 2012) and The Naughty Ladies of Cotton Glen (April 2012) - under contract with Naughty Nights Publishing. His new series is called Sex Tales From West County, and there's a whole lot of spanking going on. Author Kathleen Grieve (the author of Dating 911) and I are collaborating with Ken on a new installment.

R.C. Beckom: R. C. Beckom tends to look at the aspects of the Black Communities and the conditions of the times there. He seeks to help the communities to be able to comprehend the situations that they find themselves in and hopes to help find solutions so that they are able to abide for the existence of their children of the future.

As a Black man, Beckom grew up ‘having to learn the ways of a society that he and people like him had nothing to do with putting together, but, would find themselves victims of it if they did not learn that society’s rules and regulations.

His stories speak of the traumatic events to come for a people captured against their will, a people taken from their native habitat for centuries and forced to learn things contrary to the sake of their very own being. It showcases the repercussions that will come from the mistreatment of humanity and discusses how forcing a people to submit to things that don’t allow them to be free in their actions and thinking only eliminates their ability to one day be in control of their own destiny.

R. C. Beckom is the author of the novel It’s Comin’/Trilogy - an intriguing story of how some black people came about to be in some of the present situations that some of them are founded to be in. In his book he present some situations and some solutions to some of those situations.

His book goes beyond the comprehension of daily everyday life. It defines conditions that needs attention immediately, things that most, but, not all will refuse or rebuke to a hear to, simply, because of the guilt that just may be founded in one’s own self. His book is not one to be put to the side, “THIS IS A MUST READ” (There will not be another book that approaches these types of issues published for at least another hundred years, so don’t miss out on reading the most truest tale of the century.) Get your copy now go to: http://www.GODHEADPRODUCTIONS.com

How to Get Published Before You Die of Old Age (guest post)

2011-11-05T07:23:00.003-04:00

Hopping by from the Thanks For the Books Blog Hop? See the giveaway post here.

My route into writing was an unusual one. In my twenties, I worked as an investment banker – that was back in those sepia-tinted days when you could say that sort of thing and not be spat at in the street. The professional was financially lucrative but culturally impoverished, a trade most of us can live with, at least for a while.

Then my wife got ill. Not a smidge ill, a cough here, a sniffle there. But a huge, complex, life-threatening illness. So I quit work to look after her. (She’s a lot better now, thank you for asking.) Looking after her wasn’t quite a full time job so I started to write a book. I’d always wanted to, but now was the opportunity.

I wrote away for about twelve months and had a monster manuscript on my hands: 180,000 words, or a roughly 650 page book. So what to do with it?

I did some things right and some things wrong. The main bit I did right was to pick a decent idea. (You can read about it here.) I also edited that book relentlessly. When I thought the first 60,000 words wasn’t quite up to scratch, I deleted them and rewrote them. When a friend told me that I over-used commas, I went through the entire text and sorted them out. I was obsessive about getting it right – and, with writers, obsession isn’t a character flaw, it’s an essential part of the toolkit.

The main bit I did wrong was to submit my stuff to literary agents using what may well have been the World’s Worst Covering Letter. Because I was an investment banker, I thought I needed to pitch my stuff HARD, instead of just letting the manuscript do the talking. I sent my stuff out to 6 agents, got 6 rejections. Then sent the book out to another 6, this time and got 2 or 3 offers of representation. Finally I was in business. My agent auctioned the book, got a few offers, and we ended up selling the thing to HarperCollins, a wonderful publisher.

That book was my first. I wrote another four novels for HarperCollins. Then switched tack and wrote four works of non-fiction (including a book all about Getting Published.) But fiction was never too far from my thoughts and the first in a series of detective stories is coming out next year with Orion.

And after all that, how would I sum up my advice? Well, the first bit, the main bit, and the only bit that really and truly matters is simple: write a good book. Do that, and you can be a complete idiot about approaching literary agents and you’ll still get there in the end. If you don’t do that, then no matter how persistently you search for agents, you’ll never get anywhere. Writing a good book is by far the most important – and by far the hardest – part of the whole literary game.

After that, well, there’s no particular point in copying me and writing the World’s Worst Covering Letter. You could just write a short, simple attractive query letter. You could write a simple, well-presented synopsis. You could make sure that your manuscript presentation is half decent. (That first manuscript I sent to literary agents was printed in a 10 point font size – probably the most embarrassingly stupid mistake I made, even worse than my covering letter.) Getting these things right means that agents will have to take your work seriously. They’ll have to turn attentively to your book itself, which is all that you can ever really ask.

Additionally, you can be a wee bit sensible about how you choose which agents – and how many – to approach. More info on how to find a literary agent here.

And that truly is it. If you do those things and your book is good enough, you’ll get an agent. If not, that’s not because there’s been anything wrong with your submissions procedure, it’s because your manuscript still isn’t strong enough to sell. After all, agents aren’t looking to take you on because they love you or love your concept: they need to have something they can sell to publishers.

And if your book does get turned down but you still believe in it (as you jolly well ought to!), the next step is probably to get tough professional feedback on your writing. Now let me be clear here: I do have a vested interest. My editorial company, The Writers’ Workshop, makes money from offering editorial feedback to new writers. We’re jolly good at it and plenty of our clients end up with agents and publishers – but there are no guarantees. I’d never say that ALL writers should pay for feedback. Life just isn’t like that. There are some people for whom pro feedback will make all the difference; others who should stay well away. I can’t say, without knowing more about you and your project, which camp you’ll fall into. But still. You probably want to know the service is there, should you want it. More info about it here, if you’re interested.

That’s it. I’ve been in this game for twelve years and ten books. All the advice that really matters is contained in this blog. And if you only remember four words, remember these: write a good book. And if your memory holds room for two more, then try and squeeze these in as well: Good luck!

Harry Bingham is a bestselling author who runs an editorial consultancy, The Writers’ Workshop.

Buy This Book: Strange Love

2011-11-04T08:33:00.018-04:00

The latest special anthology from eXcessica Publishing is titled Strange Love, and you can get it now for $3.99.

The Official Blurb: This world is full of the strange and unusual, from shapeshifters to anthropomorphic characters to genies to robots - check out these stories of unconventional love from the authors at Excessica! Strange never seemed so hot before!

Stories by Morgan Sierra, Elliott Mabeuse, D.B. Story, Wynter O’Reilly, Sam Kepfield, Amicus, Annette Gisby, Erin O’Riordan Bekki Lynn, Jennifer Campbell, Saskia Walker, Sommer Marsden, M.E. Hydra, Madeleine Drake and Kiera Thomas.

My contribution is "Angels Would Fall," a brand-new paranormal M/M erotic romance never previously published. Well, sort of male/male; one of the lovers is an angel. It begins thus:

"The angel moved through the garden, disguised as the wind. Father Diego Alba, knelt on a bright green pad in front of the peas, concentrating on the weeding. He noticed the fragrance from the delicately pink blossoms, but paid little mind to the breeze carrying its scent, even as the breeze ruffled Diego’s dark auburn hair.

"It was still early, and the heat of the day was just beginning to bother Diego. He scanned the bed of peas again, making sure he hadn’t left any weeds behind, then swept the pile of pulled weeds into his hands and deposited them on the compost heap. He shook the loose dirt from his hands, then went inside the rectory.

"The angel followed him, first as the warm wind, and then in the intimate fashion to which the angel was accustomed, as the very breath Diego drew.

"Diego went to his small, plain bedroom on the rectory’s second floor and took off his work clothes, placing his gardening clogs at the foot of his bed. He had no masses to say that day, and so he dressed casually, in an off-white guayabera shirt and dark blue slacks. He owned only one other pair of shoes, so the black loafers were a given. He went to the sink and splashed a little water on his face, rubbing the back of his neck to rid himself of the last of the garden soil and sweat that clung to him."

The title was inspired by my all-time favorite Melissa Etheridge song:

(Yep, one of the angels in the video is Bob Harper, the trainer on The Biggest Loser.)

A priest, an angel and a very pure love. Get the book now and find out which other strange tales of love await.

So You Want to Be a Writer We've All Heard Of

2011-11-03T07:09:00.032-04:00

Hopping by from the Thanks For the Books Blog Hop? See the giveaway post here.

Jane Wenham-Jones is a novelist, journalist and presenter and the author of the Wannabe Books - two how-to manuals on getting published and becoming well-known. Below is an extract from Wannabe a Writer We've Heard Of?, available on Amazon or through all good bookshops. For more on Jane see http://www.janewenham-jones.com.

Bits & Biogs

You will also be asked if you want to include a dedication and acknowledgements at the front of your book and to supply an author biography.

You’ve probably been writing this stuff in your head for years but now you’re doing it for real, again, do think really carefully about what you want to say.

You’re going to be cuddling that book for a long time and with luck it will be in print for years to come. It is therefore worth checking anything that’s going to be between its covers for cringe factor before whizzing off the copy.

Thank you Kevin ‘scrumptious bottom’ Pratt for being there, reading the 345 drafts of my manuscript and spoon-feeding me baked beans in bed when my typing elbow was at its worst… might be a precise summing up of your predilections now, but could make your toes curl when you’ve very sensibly dumped Kevin and are married to Brian.

The author bio deserves careful thought too. This will not only be used for the inside of your book to give readers an overview of your background, lifestyle and literary achievements, but needs to be interesting enough to persuade a few jaundiced hacks and radio producers that out of the 8000 authors of the 8000 new books hitting the market this month, the one they really want to interview is YOU.

Once you are a few books down the line, you can pad it out with lists of previous titles peppering them lavishly with descriptions like “best-selling” and “acclaimed” even if they sold three copies apiece and the only review you got was from your mother on Amazon, who, not having a an overly-masterful grasp of the universally accessible quality of the internet, ended with “love Mum” before reminding you it was Auntie June’s seventieth next Thursday.

But early on? When nobody has ever heard of you and your only achievement to date is forcing some poor sod to marry you?

Jane is a more than averagely deranged person who, having failed to scrape a living in any meaningful way, has written a book. She lives with her unfortunate husband and badly-brought-up children on the Kent coast, where she spends her time worrying about how she is going to fulfil her contract to produce the second one.

What do you do then?

Some authors, I have noticed, always begin with their age. Jemima Bloggs was born in 1947 and has since written 369 novels.

I studiously avoid reference to my own birth date unless push comes to shove when I lie with gusto. When my first novel was published I appeared variously in three different women’s magazines as 36, 37 and 38. I was 39 at the time and if you ask me how long ago that was, don’t believe the answer.

Non-fiction author Peter Brookesmith, who was once referred to as a “gun-toting lecher” by Private Eye, says the trick is to appear to be “an expert” on whatever subject one happens to be writing about.

Peter, who also has the distinction of being one of the more eccentric of my uncles (and believe me, in my family, that’s saying something) has written books on everything from Loving your Horse to the History of the Assassin and his author bios have followed accordingly, with tales of him with firearm in hand one minute and born in the saddle the next.

We are talking, therefore, marketing hook and a bit of back story. If the book is set in the theatre, then you say you were once an actor; if it’s the gritty tale of grinding poverty in the back streets then at least claim an impoverished past in which you and your six brothers shared the same pair of shoes.

At the same time, don’t forget the old maxim – know your audience. Remember that this description may well precede you wherever you go. And that describing yourself as an ex-stripper with breast enhancements may go down a storm at the Rugby Club but won’t necessarily hit the right note with the Christian Fellowship of the Society for Clean Living.

As an over-optimistic PR once said to me, make it relevant, make it heart-warming and, where possible, show you’ve overcome adversity.

In other words, if you’ve written a modern day Watership Down, make it clear that you’ve not only rescued an abandoned orphan rabbit and given it a whole new beginning, but later, it savaged you.

Whatever you write, remember that this too, will be around for a long time. Like the blurb, it won’t just appear in the book but on all sorts of promotional material and probably be plastered across the internet too. In my first novel the “about the author” begins:

Jane Wenham-Jones lives in Broadstairs where she walks by the sea and dreams of fame….

I can’t tell you how many times that has been recycled in the ensuing decade – seeming ever naffer every time I read it.

Unlike anything nice that’s ever been said about the contents of any of my books which I never tire of seeing repeated….

Wannabe a Writer Site

Buy links:

Amazon UK (paperback)

Amazon UK (Kindle)

Amazon US (paperback)

Amazon US (Kindle)

The Book Depository

Appropriately, this WIP Wednesday falls on All Souls Day

2011-11-02T06:54:00.003-04:00

Hopping by from the Thanks For the Books Blog Hop? See the giveaway post here.

Are you an author with a current work-in-progress? Would you like to tease your work on a future WIP Wednesday? If so, please e-mail Erin O'Riordan: erinoriordan (at) sbcglobal (dot) net

Ernest Shulman: A great upsurge in research on causes and prevention of suicide occurred during the last forty or more years, in many European countries, North America, Japan, and elsewhere, accompanied by several academic journals and numerous books. Millions of dollars and hundreds of commissions have been devoted to this cause, along with hundreds of hot-lines, organizations, and movements linking loved ones left behind by those suiciding, as well as other groups with common interests. Yet suicide rates worldwide have scarcely budged.

An established researcher, Ernest Shulman, with a Ph.D. in psychology, is preparing a book -- Thirty Famous Suicides -- using an original approach designed to equip laypeople with an understanding of suicide and what they can do to prevent it in those they care about. It features the analysis of the life stories of famous suicidal people who did or did not kill themselves. The book innovates by delineating the six stages in the lifetime suicidal pathways that end in self-inflicted death. One of the early stages is the development of pathological narcissism ("It must be my way or no way") and a later stage detailing resistance to suicide. Other stages follow accepted but previously unintegrated concepts. No other work on the causes or prevention of suicide deals comprehensively with these concepts.

Erin O'Riordan: While participating in the CoffinHop, I came across the website of David Ewald, whose book is called He Who Shall Remain Shameless. It's a rather remarkable speculative fiction concept, about a man who communicates with the spirits of dead. Some of the spirit characters are based on real people, some of whom died by their own hands. They include Andrew Kehoe, a Michigan farmer who used explosives to kill more than 40 people, including schoolchildren, along with his wife and himself, and Christine Chubbock, a 29-year-old news reporter in Florida who shot herself live on the air. I find the concept of Ewald's collection of linked short stories both disturbing and fascinating.

Winner of the Pagan Spirits CoffinHop Giveaway

2011-11-01T15:06:00.013-04:00

Thank you, Julie Jansen and Axel Howerton, for allowing me to participate in the CoffinHop '11. It was a blast! I met so many cool horror and paranormal authors. I didn't even know that horror poetry was a genre, but it is! The CoffinHop made my Halloween season and gave me some great nightmares.

With the help of Random.org, I have selected a winner. Drum roll, please:

Lizzy Ford of Guerrilla Wordfare

Now, for a chance to win a box of paperbacks from me, plus books and book-related swag from other bloggers, please join me at the Thanks for the Books Hop, November 1-14. Read the Pagan Spirits contest rules HERE.

What's Wrong With Mr. and Ms.? by Peg Tittle

2011-11-01T07:11:00.006-04:00

Hopping by from the Thanks For the Books Blog Hop? See the giveaway post here.

I'm in this world, okay, and the people identify each other by sex. All the time. It's like 'Female Person Smith' and 'Male Person Brown' or 'Person-with-Uterus Smith' and 'Person-with-Penis Brown' – I don't know the exact translation. But sex-identity is a mandatory prefix. They distinguish males from females. Before they do everything else. Before they do anything else.

It bothers me. It irritates me. It pisses me off. I mean, what's so damned special about my sex that it has to be part of my name? Surely my values, my interests, my abilities, my character – these aspects define my self more than my sex does.

And anyway shouldn't I be the one to decide what parts of my self are important enough to be part of my name? Maybe I want to be identified by my ovaries, but maybe I want to be identified by my occupation. Hell, maybe I want to identified by my blood type.

The thing is, they consider it polite. Polite! To draw such relentless attention to details of my anatomy! In fact, they think that to call someone just by their name, without the penis/uterus prefix, is rude. So it's really hard to say anything. And it's even harder to do anything. I mean, I tried just saying "Dave" one time and everybody turned and stared at me. No kidding. I tried to hold my ground, but I heard myself say "Sorry, I mean, 'Mr. Brown'." And everybody smiled with relief.

I even tried variations once. I thought if I loosened up the custom a bit, it'd be easier to get rid of it altogether. Sort of like food that's dried onto dishes you haven't washed in a week.

Anyway, next time I put on my best smile and said "Dickhead Brown". Everybody turned and stared. Worse than last time. Again, I found myself saying "Sorry, I meant 'Penis Person, Male Person, Mr. Brown'."

Surely this can't be good, this obsessive marking of sex, this insistent separating of human beings into male and female. Talk about paving the superhighway to sex discrimination. I wanted to shout "Look, it's not like it has to be this way!" Why not just call people by their names, 'Dave' or 'Mary'? Too familiar for the formality-prone. Then how about using their surname, 'Brown' or 'Smith'? Too rude for the etiquette-addicted. How about an all-purpose sex-neutral prefix like 'Doctor' but without the professional implications; how about just 'Person' – 'Person Brown' and 'Person Smith'? As for the pronoun problem, they already have a sex-neutral pronoun: 'it'. But, stupidly, it's reserved for animals. Go figure. In this world, animals are accorded the respect of a sex-free identity, but people aren't.

(Thanks to Martine Rothblatt – The Apartheid of Sex, NY: Crown Publishers, 1995 – for the title.)

Peg Tittle
author of Shit that Pisses Me Off

Challenging thoughts about everyday things: casual day at the office, calling people Ms. and Mr., parenting without a license, flying a national flag, women’s fiction, drugs and sports, profit and loss, marriage, the weather report, hockey brawls, jury duty…

For every belief, attitude, and behaviour Tittle investigates (in a way that only a trained philosopher can), she exposes the often unflattering implications of endorsing that belief, attitude, or behaviour (not the least of which is that there is no reasoned argument one can give in support of, no acceptable, sufficient, defensible rationale for, the belief, attitude, or behaviour in question) and, furthermore, presents a great many counterarguments to those who would nevertheless persist – leaving the reader with way more to think about than the word count would suggest.

Philosophy with an attitude. Because the unexamined life is dangerous.

available in various ebook formats at Smashwords for $2.99
available soon at Amazon, BarnesandNoble, Chapters, and other online stores

Erin O'Riordan's review of Shit That Pisses Me Off: I liked this book of 25 essays, though it did get my feminist panties in a twist at the sexism that is still rampant, if you stop to think about it. Peg raises provocative questions: should people need some kind of license to have children? Should the court system use professional jurors? Many of her essays address the imbalance of power between men and women; also some tackle business, sports, war and the weather. She even explains why you're not likely to see Peg Tittle at Canada's version of an Occupy Wall Street demonstration. It's all thought-provoking, and whether or not you'll end up agreeing with her conclusions, her essays make for fascinating reading.