Stay Home & watch football. Probably fold laundry while I'm watching. Heck, I may go a little crazy and do some other house cleaning. Nah, it is a holiday, after all. But, I love three-day weekends, and the whole "I have a legitimate excuse to be lazy" thoughts they generate.
I hope everyone has a safe, happy, & prosperous New Year. Here's a cyber toast to a wonderful 2007!
Jessie
Today is my parents' 53rd wedding anniversary. Yep, 53 years of love, laughter, Christmas mornings, New Year's celebrations, weddings, babies, and summer trips. 53 years of finding strength in each other when the tears fell, when children were sick or hurt, when money was tight, and when bad news came. The premature birth of my sister, the car accident when I was 12, my sister's cancer, my son's tumor, my nephew's 7 year custody battle, my dad's first bout with cancer. The joy of grandchildren and the special joy of great-grandchildren.
In short -- a lifetime.
Their story is why I believe in love and the happily ever after. Their story is why I write romance. Their love and encouragement are the reasons I write at all.
The power of true love is real, and it grows stronger as time passes. It may not seem like it when you're caught in the day-to-day routine of a hectic life, but it's there, pulsing, waiting to be called upon to see us through the next difficult situation.
Take a moment and let someone know you love them.
Jessie
Phaze is having a Huge Christmas sale! All e-books are 50% off Christmas Eve and Christmas Day!! Wow! Heatsheets for $1.00 (that’s a lot of bang for your buck). And from December 26, 2006 until December 31, 2006, Phaze e-book titles will be discounted 25%. For the Christmas Day sale, use code SANTA50, and the week sale, use the code SANTA25. Be sure to check out Spellbound & Sensual Energy and these other great authors!
Spellbound
Sensual Energy
Waking Annabel, by Jayelle Drewry
Kitten, by Mychael Black & Shayne Carmichael
Apocalypse Dance, by Michael Barnette
Cain & Abel, by Bridget Midway
Jessie
My Bookstore and More is having a Huge Christmas sale! All e-books are 15% off until December 24!! Lord Night is only $2.98 -- a bargain for a hot book to keep you warm during a cold night.
Check out Lord Night, and these other great authors!
Lord Night
Taste This, by Leigh Ellwood
Blame the Rain, by Ann Cory
Lords of the Were, by Bianca D'Arc
The Gift, by Beth Williamson
Loving Lies, by Lora Leigh
Just Like a Dame, by Daisy Dexter Hobbs
Now, off to do some Christmas shopping.
Jessie
(Read it lots, honey, 'cause you this is the only time I'm likely to admit it.)
So, Hiro wasn't lost in time.
Questions: How did Sylar get his telekinesis powers to work in that room? What do Peter's dreams mean? Why does the Haitian want Claire to remember?
I think HRG's job is, and has been, to erase the memories of the heroes since their birth. And, I still think the partial eclipse has something to do with the heroes' all discovering their powers now. One thing I noticed was a change in Nicky/Jessica. In all the other shows, they could only see or speak with each other in reflective surfaces. However, in Fallout, once they saw each other at the pond, Jessica became corporeal, which fits with her having the sign and Nicky not. Has her power developed to a more advanced level?
I'm revamping my website, and it's taking a lot longer, and more irritating, than I anticipated. Even if I don't have all the pages finished by tomorrow, I'm putting up the ones I have.
I need to start my Christmas shopping - haven't bought the first present yet. Will probably have a marathon shopping session one night this week and another on Saturday. The hardest people to buy for: my parents and my husband. I have no idea what to get them. Easiest people to buy for: the kids ( and the toys are more fun, too.)
Have a Great Weekend!
Jessie
When I think the word heroes, several images cross my mind: super heroes like Batman (my fav); sports figures (though not so much now as when I was a kid); firefighters, policemen, doctors, etc.; and of course, soldiers. Over the past few years, we've seen many of our heroes fall, and as I write this, a member of SMRW is getting ready to deploy to Iraq. Our thoughts and prayers go with him.
A little closer to home, though, we rarely acknowledge those who are close to us who are "everyday heroes." Perhaps, we've grown accustomed to the wonder we first experienced when we realized they were our hero. I have several in my life, most of them family members, but my dad has always been my first, and best, hero, as well as my biggest fan. Last week, I learned my dad has cancer. This is the second time he's been diagnosed with the disease. The good news is the doctors caught it early and the prognosis is good.
But it's scary, and it leaves me a little lost knowing my biggest hero could fall.
Jessie
I have now seen episodes 1-6, and the one which aired on Monday night, and I have a few theories. The use of the phrasing "patient zero" leads me to believe that there was some form of genetic manipulation, whether totally generated or simply sped up. Dr. Saresh thought Syler was patient zero, but we know other people were coming into their powers before Sylar met Dr. Saresh. The painter being one. Sylar, Nicky/Jessica, and the girl who can control people seem to be the "villains", and I think there will be more as a balance of power sort of thing. Of course, we don't know about Claire's father yet, and whether he has any powers, or if he is the instigator. His actions, particularly grounding Claire, tend to put him on the side of good, but whoever is running the gene show could have given Claire powers to keep her father in line. Nathan could go either way.
I think the partial solar eclipse has something to do with the powers strengthening.
In the upcoming episode, I think Hiro will be lost - as in time.
That's all I have time for now. Oh, and I found this site (after I wrote the above) http://heroeswiki.com/Main_Page
Jessie
for the Heroes marathon! I love this show!!!! Although, I have to admit I haven't watched it consistently, because it airs opposite (you guessed it) Monday Night Football. In fact, I've missed many good shows this season for a whole host of reasons (Law & Order, CI; Dr. Who; CSI), but always knew in the back of my mind I could catch them in reruns. However, thanks to the Sci-Fi channel, tonight, I'll get to see all the episodes of Heroes I missed. Unfortunately, I haven't seen the first episode, so I have lots of questions. I'm sure once I get to see them tonight, I'll form some theories of my own about their powers - whether they're natural or genetically manipulated, Claire's dad, Syler, etc.
Jessie
I have so much to be thankful for. My faith, my family, my friends, my co-workers, my health, my readers who make the whole writing journey worthwhile, and the writers whose work I enjoy.
There's so much love and support surrounding me, I feel totally awed. I may have some disappointments in my life, like the Colts losing, but I'm thankful to be able to watch them play. I may get totally stressed at work sometimes, but I'm grateful to have a job. I may be a little overweight, but I'm thankful I have food, and I'm very thankful the cyst removed earlier this year wasn't cancerous.
I'm thankful my father and my sister are still with us after fighting their own battles with cancer.
I'm thankful for my mother, and the grace, hope, and steadfast faith she's shown in the midst of her own pain.
I'm thankful for my son and what a wonderful young man he's grown into. I'm thankful for my lovely daughter-in-law who's strong and courageous and can find laughter and joy through adversity. I'm thankful for my grandkids and the life they bring to the party.
And, I'm thankful for my husband whose love, support, and understanding make my life complete. Love you Honey!
I hope everyone has a safe and happy Thanksgiving, and lots to be thankful for.
Jessie
As I mentioned in an earlier post, I knew I had read Born in Death too fast, so I re-read it over the weekend. And I did miss something; not on the plot of this particular case, or anything to do with Mavis's baby, but in the whole of the series. There was absolutely no mention of the infamous candy thief in this book. In fact, Eve spent very little time at the precinct or in her office.
She's hidden her stash of real chocolate in almost every conceivable location in her small office, and in the last 5 or so books or so, someone has managed to find it. However, it's not even mentioned in this book. I found it very disappointing. Her ongoing battle with the vending machines provides some comical moments, but there's no mystery there. We've all lost money in them, but the candy thief has managed to outwit Eve Dallas at every turn, and I look forward to the moment she discovers her candy has been purloined.
Jessie
If you've been in a few chats with me, you probably know I'm a football addict. I've got the NFL channel, and I watch it constantly. However, tonight, I'm crying in my peppermint coffee. (Normally, it's cinnamon hazelnut, but with the holidays, I switch to peppermint.) The Colts lost their first game today. I really didn't expect them to go 17-0, but I also didn't expect them to lose this early. It breaks my heart, and in more ways than just the loss of a game. It brings back memories of an old friend, Joni, who is a Dallas Cowboys fan through and through. I kept thinking through the game that Joni was probably smiling, laughing, and whooping it up at her team's domination over the unbeaten Colts. I haven't seen her in years. Unfortunately, our lives went separate ways, and through a marriage, a divorce, another marriage, some job changes, and life in general, we gradually lost touch. It's days like these, when I think of how much fun we'd had doing the simple things, like watching football games (even if we rooted for opposing teams) that I miss my old friends the most. I hope she enjoyed the game.
Now, trying to decide whether to root for the Chargers or the Broncos....
Jessie
Do you read the last few pages of books first? My sister does and it drives me nuts. What's the point of reading the book when you know how it ends?
Now, it could be argued that in a romance the reader always knows how it's going to end -- happily ever after, with the hero and heroine declaring their love and overcoming the final hurdle. However, most of the romances I read have some sort of mystery to them, and most books I read outside of the romance genre definitely have mystery/suspense in them. To me, reading the last few pages and learning the answer to the puzzle would take away my enjoyment of the story.
Although, I was very tempted to do just that this past week. I purchased Born in Death, by JD Robb the day it came out and started reading immediately. Now, normally, I figure out who the bad guys/gals are pretty early in the books, but it's still a great feeling when I get to the unveiling part and my guess turns out to be correct. However, there are some red herrings in Born, and I couldn't read fast enough to see if I was right or wrong. I fell into the trap of "I want to know, and I want to know now!" So, you guessed it, I went to the end. And what did I discover? The sex of Mavis's baby. I took that as a sign and went back to reading the way it's supposed to be done -- start to finish.
But, what if I'm tempted again? I hope I'll be strong enough to resist temptation.
Jessie
Ready to be Spellbound? E-mail me and I'll send you a code for 10% off at Fictionwise for either Spellbound or Sensual Energy!
Joshua Neville is more than a ghost, he's a man trapped in time and space. Solange Monroe is more than a security specialist, she's the woman who can help him break a 127 year curse. However, he's a wanted man in 1879 and going back could mean a hangman's noose, but staying means an eternity of being alone. An instant attraction draws teh couple together, and his unique ability to "phase" through time adds an unusual twist to their lovemaking. However, it's the unusual twisting of her heart that has her worried.
Excerpt:
She didn't know if the loneliness reflected in his eyes stirred her, or the way he casually kept touching her, but she stopped resisting and gave in to what she had wanted since she first saw him sitting at the piano. She turned and straddled his lap. "You aren't alone tonight."
"And you are a brazen wench."
The bold move garnered the result she hoped as she felt him harden against her crotch. She ran a finger down his shirt. "Can you phase shift out of your clothes?" she teased.
His whole body vibrated beneath her and his eyes glittered with energy. One blink and his clothes disappeared.
"Wow! Can you make my clothes disappear, too?"
"I have a better idea." He placed his hands under the hem of her tank top and slid them up her stomach to cup her breasts. The shirt caught on his wrists as he went, pulling the fabric up and exposing her to his gaze. Desire flooded through her and moisture drenched her boxers when he tweaked the taut nipples.
She forgot about her job, his hex, everything, with each seductive stroke of his fingers against her bare flesh. His fingers continued to move upward, over her shoulders to caress the sensitive pulse point at the base of her throat before pulling the tank top over her head.
Seeking release, she rubbed her clit against his hard shaft, and a small moan of satisfaction escape her throat.
His tongue traced across her lips. "You have the most alluring mouth, especially when your lips are wet and ready and reminding me of other moist, delectable parts of your body."
She nearly came from the words alone.
"Do you know the most erotic place a woman can place her lips on a man's body?" Staying silent, she glanced at his crotch.
His hand entered the small fly type opening of her boxer shorts, his fingers tangling in the hair covering her mound, and the fabric of her boxers tightened over her swollen labia. "The hollow of his throat where he can experience each shivering breath of contentment, each small whisper of pleasure, and feel her hard nipples pressed against his chest and her legs wrapped around his thighs."
He fisted the edges of the opening, and the thin material ripped from the waistband to the crotch, giving him access. Her body shivered when his fingers brushed over her clit and plunged into her slick folds. The intensity of the light contact engulfed her and drove her past the edge of desire into primal need. She lifted off his lap and impaled herself on his fingers, urging them deeper into her pussy while she kept a strong grip his cock.
He removed his fingers and rubbed her clit. "Chér, put your lips on me."
Even through her sensual haze, she caught the double entendre. She guided the head of his penis to her opening, and raw sexual energy exploded through her. Wrapping her arms around him, she placed her lips on his neck and slowly slid down his shaft until she completely sheathed him.
His cock throbbed inside her, and she ground her hips in a circular motion, increasing the pressure. His pulse beat fast and strong under her lips, and the salty taste of him made her hungry for more.
She rocked her hips to the demanding rhythm of her desire, aroused by the way he clutched her ass.
His Creole accented whispers washed over her, carressed her. "You feel so good, so wet."
Her nipples tightened to the point of pained pleasure, and she quickened her pace, riding him hard. Her breasts rubbed against his chest, the friction flooding her entire body with heat until her pussy tightened around his throbbign cock, taking them both to climax.
Exhausted, she collapsed on top of him. The faint sound of chimes drifted from the grandfather clock in the foyer. Halp past two. "Bed," she murmured.
“Spellbound” is perfectly titled because that is what I was from the first page.... This book was hot, the characters believable and the ending more than I could have expected.... and I will be adding it to my top recommended reads.... – Sensual Reads & Reviews www.sensualreads.net
Cute, quick and entertaining.... Rated Multiple O’s by Romance Reviews Today-Erotic www.rrterotic.com
There's no music. I don't like clicking on a video and having it blast through my office and letting my bosses know I'm surfing. Maybe I'll add some later....
Lord Night
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Jessie
I made it back from the Women's Expo in Kingsport, TN all in one piece, but very tired. It's a great event, with around 4000 people attending. I'll have a few pics in my website gallery later this week, and you do not want to miss seeing the absolutely gorgeous dress Mary Wine is wearing.
Our table bustled with activity both days, and we had some great people stop and talk to us.
Oh, and the unveilings! Just for this special event, Lora Leigh unveiled her new movie promo for Dangerous Games!! All I can say is wow. And, I got to see the new look for Samhain's website. I'm not sure when the new look will go live, but it's awesome! Be sure to check it out at www.samhainpublishing.com. I'm sure it won't be too much longer.
We're already starting to plan for next year, so mark your calendars. Lora Leigh, Mary Wine, Trista Ann Michaels, and me will be attending, and we have some other fantastic authors who are planning to attend. I can't spill the beans yet, but as soon as we have confirmation, I'll let you know. We also have some other fun events planned around the Expo. Details will be forthcoming, as I love to keep everyone guessing, and of course, not everything is ironed out yet.
We hope to have a website up soon, and I'll let you know as soon as it's up.
Exhausted, but pumped.
Jessie
This morning I received a call on my cellphone that went something like this:
Me: Hello.
Caller: Ask me how I feel.
Me: Ohhhkaaay, how do you feel?
Caller: (very excited) No, ask me how it feels to be DA MAN!
Me: (Laughing) Do I know you?
Caller: (Audible swallow) This is _______.
Me: Nope.
Caller: You're not ______?
Me: Nope.
From there, he sputtered apologies, which weren't necessary because he made my day. But now I'm curious. Did he get a new job? Did he win the lottery? Did he pop the question to his girlfriend and she said yes? Just what made this guy feel like DA MAN?
Have a great day, or at least as good as the guy who gets a wrong number.
Jessie
My boss is on vacation!!!
So, now I can work on any one of the six projects I have going right now. Yeah, six. I'm trying to have some self-control and only work on two, maybe three, get those finished and then continue with the others, but
A few months ago, DH bought a new computer and my old Palm won't connect. I'm sure I could find a USB connector for it, but I'd rather update to a newer Palm. I've been checking out the different models, and I think I'm going with the Tungsten E2. I don't need to get to the web from my PDA, but I would like to listen to music, read books, and keep track of some things, so it seems like the best option. Anyone else use it and have an opinion? I'd like to know before I plunk the $$ down.
Anyone Christmas shopping yet? Not me, although I've been thinking about it. Mostly what to get the kids in my family. They're the most fun to buy for, and I get to let my inner child out for awhile. I also get to buy the toys that make all kinds of noise, have blinding lights, and in general will drive their parents nuts. Those thoughts just brighten my day like nothing else.
Have a Great Day!
Jessie
My, my, my, it seems as if Mr. Head was up bright and early this morning searching blogs for his name--and he found a lot of them. And, he left me (and several others) this little message:
Anonymous said...
I think everyone is missing the bigger picture, Susan Combs wrote a book with sex and then Susan Combs took a public position during debate on a sex education (ABSENCE ONLY) bill while she served as a State Representative. The point, Susan Combs is a hypocrite. Fred Head is clearly stating the facts. Please debate how you can write a book of this nature and then took a public position of sex education (ABSENCE ONLY) bill. Can't have it both ways.
6:29 AM
Now, I don't know for a fact that Fred Head left the comment, but others who have tracker software attached to their blogs have verified it comes from Dallas, (http://gabrielleluthy.blogspot.com/2006/10/right-said-fred.html) and evidence supports the supposition. Absence instead of abstinence. I dearly wish he or his press people, would learn to spell and use words correctly. (Although, I understand he has now replaced the word "extraxt" with excerpt.)
Just for the record, I support sex education for our children. I feel it's very important to teach sexual responsibility as it pertains to relationships, pregnancy, STD's, and even domestic violence and sexual abuse. Armed with knowledge = right choices.
I do not advocate the reading of my books by anyone under the age of 18, even though I started reading, under my parents' supervision, romance novels around the age of 14.
Please do not insult me or other romance authors by hiding behind anonymous comments.
Jessie
My boss just left for vacation, which means I have the rest of a Friday afternoon to goof off. Woke up to frost on the ground and the car this morning, but this afternoon is sunny, a bit cool, and beautiful. The trees are starting to turn in East Tennessee and they're georgeous!
Looking forward to some Mexican food tonight and a little snuggling with my sweetie.
Here's an excerpt of Lord Night to get the weekend started right.
A movement at the bar caught her attention. Two men exited the booth the man was supposed to lure Damien into, and they didn't look pleased to see the two chatting.
The bartender ducked behind the bar, and the weasel nearly fell trying to slip off the stool, but he regained his footing and ran toward the door.
No, not men, she realized when they moved closer. Demons. And they headed straight for Damien. Sharp features etched their long, thin faces. Their pale skin appeared almost translucent, and their red snake eyes glowed unnaturally in the muted light of the bar. One of them dragged his long, bony fingers over the polished wood and scratched the surface with his sharp nails.
Damien's right arm rested on the edge of the bar, his fingers inches away from the gun, and his left hand nursed the drink left by the weasel. What was he waiting for? Why didn't he shoot them?
If he lived through this, she was going to kill him.
She refused to stand by and do nothing. She pulled away from the wall, and out of the shadows protecting her, and walked brazenly toward Damien. Slowing a little to match pace with the demons, she stepped behind Damien as the demons flanked him. She played with the hair curled at the nape of his neck and bent over his shoulder. "Darling, you didn't tell me you invited friends."
The demons' eyes brightened, and she suppressed a shudder when their lips curled in sinister smiles showing yellowed, jagged teeth.
Damien tensed beneath her hand.
The barstool spun slowly until Damien faced the demon on his left and she stood with her back pressed against Damien's, facing the demon on his right.
She took a deep breath and eased her sweaty palm down her thigh. Her fingers brushed against the holster. She leaned forward and shimmied. "Why don't we get this party started?"
The demon licked his thin lips and leered at her, but his attention centered right where she wanted it, distracting him long enough for her to palm the small gun.
She felt Damien's arm move, took quick aim at the most direct target—the demon's balls, and shot from the hip. He shrieked with pain, but she didn't let off the trigger, landing hits with the laser over his torso and chest. Damn, the thing just wouldn't die.
Damien jerked off his seat, toppling the barstool to the floor. "Shit! These things have sharp nails."
"How bad?"
"Nothing more than a scratch down my arm." He nudged her with his shoulder and they walked back to back away from the bar, shooting their laser guns as they moved.
The demons followed, staying close and swiping with their talon-like fingers. The sickening scent of charred flesh filled her nostrils and mingled with the coppery scent of Damien's blood.
The club fell silent. No music, no steps echoing on the dance floor, no tinkling of glasses. Only the hissing sounds the demons made filled the air, each breath rushing out like an icy damp wind over her skin. It chilled her, numbed her fingers, and made it hard to grip her weapon.
Unable to hold the gun steady, she squeezed the trigger as best she could and sprayed laser blasts at the creature, praying no wild shots struck a bystander.
The demon flailed in front of her, gurgling from a wound in his throat. The cold vapor dissolved.
She sent another, longer blast into its neck and it crumbled to black dust in front of her. One of its gnarled talons survived, and she kicked it away from the pile of ash as if its presence might revive the demon.
"Go for the throat!" she shouted over her shoulder.
The adrenalin rush pumped through her, warming her blood, her hands. She held the gun in front of her and dared not turn around to help Damien in case other demons lay in wait, hidden.
Another horrible gurgling sound told her Damien had found his mark. The music started again, and she heard the soft hum of conversations under the melody. The threat had passed and everything seemed normal again. Her labored breathing evened out, and she placed the gun back in the holster.
"Lord Night is an extraordinary story with a unique and remarkable world...." http://www.joyfullyreviewed.com/reviews/lordnight.html
"...fantastic alternate-dimension story..." http://euroreviews.eu.funpic.de/bookdetails.php?book_id=727
"...This is an erotic tale of the highest caliber...." http://www.loveromancesandmore.com/reviews/Sept06/lordnight_valerie.htm
http://www.mybookstoreandmore.com/product_info.php?cPath=1_13_14&products_id=165
Have a great weekend!
Jessie
If Fred Head has his way, all romance novelists will be considered pornographers, and I suppose by his way of thinking, all suspense/murder/mystery writers will be considered criminals, and he'd probably want to burn JK Rowling at the stake. I'm not even going to try to guess what the man might think of Stephen King.
I read his rant. I read how he used Black's Law Dictionary's definition of pornography to determine his opponent's status. (Which although he said was on his site, I never found it. So, since I happen to have a BLD handy, here it is: "That which is of or pertaining to obscene literature; obscene; licentious. People on Complaint of Savery v. Gotham Book Mart, 158 Misc. 240, 285 M.Y.S 563, 367." -- Black's Law Dictionary, Revised Fourth Edition.) Make of it what you will.
One of the first things that caught my eye while reading his website was this line:
"...which has her name at the top of every other page - - - a clear testament to Susan Combs’ insatiable ego and desire to see her name in print."
Has the man ever read a book? Apparently not. Go ahead, check all your books; Poe, Shakespeare, Nora Roberts, they all have the author's name on every other page, with the title opposite. From his statements, it seems all authors are aggrandizing with insatiable egos.
However, his lack of knowledge on the subject of books is far less appalling than his knowledge of the subject matter of said books. Romance, with or without implied or explicit sexual content, is about love, empowerment, trust, insecurities and believing in yourself and your partner enough to overcome them, and yes, even passion. It seems as if he zoned in on "the good parts" just like the guys in my 11th grade history class, (Johanna Lindsay historicals were very popular in my history class) and never took the time to actually read the story. Romances, by their very nature, have a "happy ever after" ending.
I could quote all the stats which state romance readers are educated and spend lots of money on books (all genres, because we read more than romance) each year, but, to me, it's not a money issue. He has managed to insult me as a reader and author, along with millions of others, because of his WILLFUL IGNORANCE. This should not be tolerated.
And while we're skirting around the money issue, as comptroller, he should be aware of a few more facts: Romance Writers of America's (RWA) headquarters are in Texas; RWA's national conference is being held in Texas next year; Romantic Times' Readers and Booklover's Convention is being held in Texas next year. Can you say a boatload of money coming into his state from readers and authors of romance? I'm pretty sure he's not screaming "pornographers go home."
I'm not ashamed of what I read or write, but I am ashamed for this man. A man who has had to stoop to a smear campaign in order to make himself look better in the eyes of voters. A man who cannot stand on his record or the issues. He has earned my pity, but will never earn my respect.
Jessie
