Christmas in July comes to a close & a book trailer by Kaye Spencer

Even though August is a few hours away, it's not too late to enjoy 24 books from

Prairie Rose Publications' Christmas in July event.

My story is A Gift of Christmas Hope.

Until next time,

Kaye

Christmas traditions

We have a tradition at our house every Christmas. Besides the Christmas tree, we hang stockings, one for each member of the house, including the pets. I didn’t get this traditional from my family. We never hung stockings. I got this from my mother-in-law who always had a stocking for every person in the family. I thought this was a great idea.

When I shop for Christmas presents, it’s fun to search for items small enough to fit into a stocking. Candy is a big stocking stuffer, but I manage to find other things like electronic gadgets like chargers and flash drives, music cds or movie dvds, beauty supply items for myself and treats for the dogs.

It’s a tradition my husband and I treasure each Christmas morning.

Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukah, Blessed Winter Solstice and Happy New Year!

Forbidden love… Broken vows… Betrayal…

A nymph. A centaur. Enemies in love.

Will love be enough to save them?

http://www.kelleyheckart.com/TheBearGoddess.html

 

Kelley Heckart, Historical fantasy romance author

Captivating...Sensual...Otherworldly

http://www.kelleyheckart.com

http://kelleysrealm.blogspot.com/

http://twitter.com/CelticChick

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kelley-Heckart/111838455604

Falling Off The Writing Wagon

Perhaps it's simply the busy holidays, but I've for certain fallen off the writing wagon. I still think of stories, scenes, and exciting tidbits of conflict, but more times than not they stay in my head. It's now without some frustration that I'm coming to see that like any muscle, the more days that go by without writing, the more my writing muscles shrivels.

Yes, and as we all know, shriveling of any kind is unwelcome. *grin* What? I still have my dirty sense of humor. That never goes away.

Anyway, I have little excuse not to write now as my Christmas shopping is done and the wrapping nearly finished. The menu is also set; a lovely dinner of red chili tamales, beans, ham, and lots of desserts.

The big question is whether I will be writing after Christmas.

Certainly, not on New Years as I'll be working, but then we have 2014 to consider. I'd like to get a new book out for readers. I've certainly got enough stories, mostly unfinished and other gems to be polished before being sent out to publishers.

Well, I suppose no matter what I do, I'm going to have to get my focus back on writing. After all, love and romance doesn't happen on its own. It's a matter of craft.

The beautiful craft brought to life by romance writers.

Merry Christmas blessing to all,

Mary Corrales

Twitter

Romance Author Lifestyle

It's nearly Christmas. Would you trust a werewolf?

“A Little Light Loving” blurb:

Cord’s a werewolf and the holiday season makes Cord’s skin itch, his head ache, and his wolf side agitated. Usually he goes on vacation at this time of year but he wants to be with Dillon.
Cord decides to rent a little cabin in the mountains for the holiday week and Dillon agrees to come with him. They have a few wonderful days together, then Cord asks Dillon about werewolves and Dillon reveals his abhorrence of the animals and his animal heritage. Cord’s heart is breaking that the man he loves could be so mistrustful of him. How can they have a future without trust?

PG13 EXCERPT

You need your fucking head examined. Going off to fuck a werewolf? Where's your brain? Dillon chastised himself as he followed Cord's truck. Oh, yeah, that's right -- it's in your pants. Well, you deserve everything that happens to you, then.
Yeah, but all that's going to happen is that I'm going to get laid. And it'll be excellent, I know, because Cord's so yummy.
Idiot.
Quite likely. But I'll be a contented, sated idiot.
Having lost the argument with himself, and being unaccountably happy and excited at the thought of spending the night with Cord, Dillon jumped out of his car, beeped the security system on, and bounced across the parking lot to where Cord was standing waiting for him.
The man did look yummy. Hunkalicious. Dillon was tempted to lick his lips but managed to refrain. He didn't dare look down to check, but he was almost certain his dick was leading the way to Cord. To bed. Oh yes!
Side by side they walked up the stairs, their steps echoing with a hint of urgency, Dillon’s heart beating faster and faster the closer they got to Cord’s apartment.
Cord kicked the apartment door shut and pressed Dillon to the wall. Dillon stared into Cord's eyes. Their faces were almost on a level. Cord was just the slightest bit taller than him. His breath hitched at what he saw in Cord's gaze. Lust. Desire. Passion. "Kiss me," he breathed.
"I plan to do a whole lot more than kissing," said Cord, holding Dillon's chin in one hand.
Dillon licked his lips. He couldn't help himself this time. He leaned forward and very deliberately rubbed his cock over Cord's.
Cord hissed, then pressed back against Dillon, pushing him hard into the wall with his full body weight. When Cord was plastered tight against Dillon's body from hips to shoulders, he flicked his tongue across Dillon's nose, eyelids, forehead, and jaw line, as if savoring the flavor.
Dillon reached up and grabbed Cord's head, sliding his hands through the thick, silky hair, then holding tight. "I thought you said you were going to kiss me. That's not a kiss."
"This is, though," said Cord in a half-strangled, husky tone, before plunging his tongue into Dillon's mouth.
Cord's tongue was everywhere, tangling with Dillon's tongue, rubbing along the insides of his cheeks, sliding over the roof of his mouth. Dillon tightened his grip on Cord's head, holding it still so he could thrust his own tongue in return, matching Cord thrust for thrust, stroke for stroke, until they were both breathless and gasping for air.
"Now that was a kiss," panted Dillon, grinning.
"Bedroom," said Cord. "I don't want our first time to be against a wall."

BUY LINK: http://www.torquerebooks.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=83&products_id=3472

Berengaria Brown
http://berengariasblog.blogspot.com/
http://berengariabrown.com/

One Writer's Effort to Blog About the Horror

  Before I became a full time writer, I was an elementary school principal so the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in December, 2012, just weeks before Christmas-- before what should have been the most joyous and peaceful time of year--hit me hard.  
The mass shooting reminded me of September 11 when the terrorists bombed the World Trade Center because I’m a Jersey girl and my elementary school was in Edison, N.J., too close to that awful event.  On that day we all thought the world was coming to an end.  We didn't know the extent of the terrorist attack.  We feared for the children in the building. I feared for the lives of my staff.  Parents arrived in a steady stream to remove their children and take them home.
The mass shooting reminded me of the day when a disgruntled and angry father tried to take his daughter from the building, intending, we all believed to leave the country with her, and I had to tell him he couldn’t have his daughter. 
It was a divorce situation.  He had a right to see her, but it was clearly written in the divorce decree that his visits were to be supervised.  Suddenly, one Friday afternoon, he arrived and demanded that she go with him.  
The mass shooting reminded me of the day when we had a gas leak, and I had to evacuate the building.  It was freezing outside and we were having an addition put on the school.  Someone left one of the gas tanks that fed a heater in the addition open and the gas leaked out.  When one of my teachers turned a fan on in her classroom and a spark flew out, we knew something was wrong. I made the call to the fire department and marched the children out of the building before it blew up.  Over 550 students and staff stood outside in the freezing cold of winter and waited while the fire department checked out the building, aired it out, and proclaimed it safe again.
Somehow, though, the idea of a man shooting his way forcefully into an elementary school--a weapon free zone--and then using a semi-automatic rifle to gun down innocent children and the adults who were there to protect them--seemed so much worse.  
I sympathized with the parents and relatives of the children who were murdered and with the children who survived, but I couldn’t help but think of the principal and the counselor--who both tried to stop that mad man.  
If you’ve ever worked in a school building, you know well the culture that exists.  You understand that the staff consider themselves "replacement parents" (the law directly states this) and you accept that you may have to sacrifice your own life to save their life.  I would have done the same as those two heroic women that day.  I would have tried to stop him.  
And that’s where the horror lies . . . for I now realize in all it’s black and white reality that there would have been no stopping him.  No one could have done anything to stop him.  You have your safety procedures in place--the "lock down procedures", etc. but even that is no match for a semi-automatic rifle and 30 round clips of bullets that can be fired in seconds as you wait for the police to arrive.
And if I were still an elementary principal, I would honestly tell the parents that the safety procedures we have instituted can only go so far.
Afterwards, I listened to the head of the NRA make his statement.  I listened to his suggestion that we arm our schools with police officers at the front entrance.  But does he realize that a school has several entrances?  And, perhaps, as many as thirty classrooms with windows that can be forcefully entered? Does he realize that children play outside and have gym outside?  And line up outside before they enter the school in the morning?  They also exit the building to get on buses at the end of the school day. 
How do we protect them from a mad man with a semi-automatic rifle?  
Doesn’t it make more sense to remove the semi-automatic rifle from the equation?  Shouldn’t military-style weapons be used only by the military?  
And do we have to have armed policemen at shopping malls and movie theaters and . . .
I think you get the point . . .
I apologize this month that I am writing about rifles and children and murder and elementary schools and not about writing and inspiration.  The one thing I have realized is that for me writing about this horrific incident, blogging about it, has helped me deal with it.  
So bear with me.  
      I know this is a complicated issue.  I know the solution is more than just removing semi-automatic weapons and 30  bullet clips from our society and plugging up loop holes in background checks.  
I am hoping this New Year will be better than last year and that somehow we can move beyond the politics and the economics and find real solutions to keep our children safe.

      A number of years ago I decided to write full time.  My first novel, Wild Point Island, is paranormal romance and was released in June and is available in mass market trade paperback and ebook from Amazon.com and Barnes and Noble.com.  

All Ready for Christmas

MERRY CHRISTMAS, Nocturnal Nighters!

Has everyone finished shopping and wrapping their presents yet? I can say that I'm done shopping but I admit I'm not finished wrapping. It's one of those things that you're getting the last minute preparations for the Christmas feast and wrapping will just have to wait.

What's on the menu for my family? Ah, a traditional Mexican feast of tamales, beans, chili, and menudo. Then there are the deserts; pumpkin pie, cherry tarts, cheesecake, tiramisu and anything else I can get away with buying before the 25^th.  Lol.

I've taken the day off from writing, but will return to it after Christmas. I'm currently trying to rewrite Sindriel's (Love's Demon Ways) story. Check out my blog for an explanation of why I need to redo the entire story.  I'm excited and believe that when I'm finished with it, readers will love Sindriel more than they ever expected.

So, are you ready for Christmas?

Well friends, I just want to say Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all. If you can't be good, then make sure to sit on Santa's lap to explain why being bad is better. *wink*

My best,

Mary Corrales

Romance Author Lifestyle Blog

Twitter

A Werewolf Christmas story

“A Little Light Loving” blurb:

Cord’s a werewolf and the holiday season makes Cord’s skin itch, his head ache, and his wolf side agitated. Usually he goes on vacation at this time of year but he wants to be with Dillon.

Cord decides to rent a little cabin in the mountains for the holiday week and Dillon agrees to come with him. They have a few wonderful days together, then Cord asks Dillon about werewolves and Dillon reveals his abhorrence of the animals and his animal heritage. Cord’s heart is breaking that the man he loves could be so mistrustful of him. How can they have a future without trust?

PG13 EXCERPT

You need your fucking head examined. Going off to fuck a werewolf? Where's your brain? Dillon chastised himself as he followed Cord's truck. Oh, yeah, that's right -- it's in your pants. Well, you deserve everything that happens to you, then.

Yeah, but all that's going to happen is that I'm going to get laid. And it'll be excellent, I know, because Cord's so yummy.

Idiot.

Quite likely. But I'll be a contented, sated idiot.

Having lost the argument with himself, and being unaccountably happy and excited at the thought of spending the night with Cord, Dillon jumped out of his car, beeped the security system on, and bounced across the parking lot to where Cord was standing waiting for him.

The man did look yummy. Hunkalicious. Dillon was tempted to lick his lips but managed to refrain. He didn't dare look down to check, but he was almost certain his dick was leading the way to Cord. To bed. Oh yes!

Side by side they walked up the stairs, their steps echoing with a hint of urgency, Dillon’s heart beating faster and faster the closer they got to Cord’s apartment.

Cord kicked the apartment door shut and pressed Dillon to the wall. Dillon stared into Cord's eyes. Their faces were almost on a level. Cord was just the slightest bit taller than him. His breath hitched at what he saw in Cord's gaze. Lust. Desire. Passion. "Kiss me," he breathed.

"I plan to do a whole lot more than kissing," said Cord, holding Dillon's chin in one hand.

Dillon licked his lips. He couldn't help himself this time. He leaned forward and very deliberately rubbed his cock over Cord's.

Cord hissed, then pressed back against Dillon, pushing him hard into the wall with his full body weight. When Cord was plastered tight against Dillon's body from hips to shoulders, he flicked his tongue across Dillon's nose, eyelids, forehead, and jaw line, as if savoring the flavor.

Dillon reached up and grabbed Cord's head, sliding his hands through the thick, silky hair, then holding tight. "I thought you said you were going to kiss me. That's not a kiss."

"This is, though," said Cord in a half-strangled, husky tone, before plunging his tongue into Dillon's mouth.

Cord's tongue was everywhere, tangling with Dillon's tongue, rubbing along the insides of his cheeks, sliding over the roof of his mouth. Dillon tightened his grip on Cord's head, holding it still so he could thrust his own tongue in return, matching Cord thrust for thrust, stroke for stroke, until they were both breathless and gasping for air.

"Now that was a kiss," panted Dillon, grinning.

"Bedroom," said Cord. "I don't want our first time to be against a wall."

BUY LINK: http://www.torquerebooks.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=83&products_id=3472 

Berengaria Brown

http://berengariasblog.blogspot.com/

http://berengariabrown.com/

The true meaning of Christmas

I thought Christmas was supposed to be a celebration of the birth of Jesus, the savior. From what I’ve seen on the news about people fighting over getting the best deals at Walmart or other big box stores, I’m wondering if we have forgotten the true meaning of Christmas.

This should be a time for reflection, for spending time with family and friends, and for being thankful for what we have. Christmas shouldn’t be about spending money and being greedy. It makes me sick to see mobs of people trampling one another to get the best deals.

I’ve come to dislike this time of year because I feel obligated to spend money I don’t have. I’m not a Scrooge or Grinch because I really enjoy treating people to gifts, but it’s difficult to spend money during times of financial trouble. And then I started thinking about the whole gift giving tradition. Christmas didn’t start out being about buying expensive gifts that probably have little or no meaning. I would rather make gifts for family and friends or offer some kind of service like babysitting for parents that could use a break or helping an elderly person with house cleaning. I would rather receive a homemade gift.

Making a gift or offering a special service is much more rewarding than getting caught up in the masses acting like stampeding cattle, not caring if they hurt someone in their quest for stuff that really has no meaning.

Kelley Heckart, Historical fantasy romance author

Captivating...Sensual...Otherworldly

http://www.kelleyheckart.com

http://kelleysrealm.blogspot.com/

http://twitter.com/CelticChick

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kelley-Heckart/111838455604

Two mortals are caught in the midst of the battle between the Titans and Olympian gods.

Daughter of Night is available in print, Kindle & Nook.

http://kelleyheckart.com/daughter_of_night.html

My Christmas Blessing For You.

This song means so much to me. My husband and I had this sung at our wedding, but in truth it was originally written as a Christmas Song.

I am praying this over every person who hears the words. Be blessed.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Leave a comment and your email, and I'll pick a winner of a special gift.

You can find me, Casea Major, at http://caseamajor.wordpress.com/

Count Down to the Top Ten Craziest Gifts for Christmas

I was sitting and trying to figure out a blog for Christmas and nothing sounded appealing. I think with most blogs you get bombarded with the same old Christmas blogs. So I decided to go out on a limb and do something fun and wacky. Let's count down the ten craziest and probably the most disappointing gifts I have ever seen. We'll start at ten and count down to number one. Drum roll please!

Number Ten: This one would really upset me. Don't tease me with Chocolate! LOL!

Choc-U-Lator

The perfect gift for the chocoholic, Choc-u-lator is a chocolate bar shaped calculator which has a aroma of chocolate. This solar powered calculator has soft chocolate segment shaped buttons and comes presented in a chocolate bar wrapper foil and outer wrapper so it looks like the real deal.

http://www.giftideas.co.uk/choc-u-lator.html

Number Nine: I really loved this one. It brought back that hilarious scene from A Christmas Story. Its one of the best parts of the movie.

Leg Lamp Mug

What could be better than watching A Christmas Story Movie? Why of course watching your favorite holiday flick, while sipping on some cocoa, from your very own A Christmas Story Leg Lamp Mug. That's right get a leg up this holiday season with the funniest mug in existence. This festive mug sports a sexy, leg sculpted, handle and on the back has the famous movie quote, "Ah fra-gee-lay...it must be Italian". Makes for a hilarious Christmas gift that will be be enjoyed the whole year round. Now order one, "Well, I double dog-dare you!"

http://www.baronbob.com/christmas-story-leg-lamp-mug.htm

Number Eight: This one is just silly and probably perfect for that quirky friend. LOL!

Crime Scene Scarf

The Fuzz Crime Scene Scarf is a must have accessory and a great attention getter. Create your own crime scene with this extra long and extra cozy knit scarf. This great scarf is bright yellow and black, made with acrylic and a touch of spandex for stretchiness. It's just shy of five feet long, four inches wide; and it’s packed all rolled up in a clear drum. The latest in police procedural fashion. So, if you know someone who is a huge fan of shows like CSI or BONES, this is a great gift idea.

http://www.baronbob.com/fuzz-crimescenescarf.htm

Number Seven: How much fun would this be? Buzzzz!

Shocking Liar Game

Strap this Shocking Liar Electric Game on your buddy or significant other, ask a question & hope they answer truthfully! If not, Zap! For some safe fun. If you need to get to the truth this is a hysterical way of getting it!

http://online.findgift.com/gift-ideas/pid-108913/

Number Six: Now I'm not sure this is even real but it has a web address. No one is spraying anything on my Kindle Fire. You'd be putting your life in danger. LOL! Hey now what is the excuse not to own a Kindle? 

New Book Smell

Do you love the fresh scent of paper, ink, and glue? We sure do! That’s why we created New Book Smell in a can. Regardless of whether you download your e-books from the Kindle Store or Project Gutenberg, New Book Smell will bring back those long lost memories of your favorite local bookstore. With New Book Smell your friends will never know that you’re reading an e-book.

http://smellofbooks.com/aromas/new-book-smell/

Number Five: This one would get a laugh but come on. Can you say tacky?

Fun Dummies

Sooth your little one and give yourself a giggle at the same time with Fun Dummies. Silicone orthodontic dummies that feature toothy grins and even vampire teeth, Fun Dummies are a brilliant take on traditional soothers and a hilarious way of comforting your child. Give one to your little one, and laugh as strangers double take your baby’s new toothy grin!


http://www.giftideas.co.uk/fun-dummies.html

Number Four: I don't even know what to say about this one but Ewww...

Belly Button Brush

For the gentleman or lady who likes to keep their belly button clean, the belly button brush is a very soft bristle brush with a silver plated handle...

http://www.giftideas.co.uk/belly-button-brush.html

Number Three: This has to be the most ridiculous thing I have ever seen in my life! I don't want birds swarming me. I would take those suckers off and run. It reminds me of that old Hitchcock movie The Birds!

Bird Seed Shoes

If you like birds and would welcome them landing on your feet, then these bird seed shoes have been made just for you. Yep, you read that right. Shoes with bird seed inbedded in them. So when you're out walking in the park and you stop to enjoy the scenery, our little feathered friends will find ..

http://www.thisnext.com/item/02CDCC46

Number Two: This one just leaves me speechless. I love my fur babies too but somethings just go too far. 

Custom Pet Nose Necklace

Your lovable pet is a nosey creature always sniffing around to see if there is any mischief to get into. From a mold of your pet's nose, this pendant is crafted in sterling silver so you can pet their nose wherever you are.

http://best.findgift.com/gift-ideas/pid-302272/

Number One: How disappointing would this be? A deed to land on Mars? Really? 

An Acre of Land on Mars

It's true - you can purchase land on Mars! The Standard Mars Package includes a legal deed document, a map showing the exact location & a list of the Martian Code Covenants and Restrictions. Additional packages available.

http://online.findgift.com/gift-ideas/pid-182433/

From one to ten which was your favorite? So what is the weirdest gift you ever received? I have been lucky enough not to receive any weird gifts like these. Thank goodness!

Happy Reading and Writing,

Tabitha Blake

WRITING OVER CHRISTMAS

The count down to Christmas has begun. The carols are playing in the shops. Decorations are hanging in houses, and you can sense the excitement in the air, as each day is one day closer to Christmas.



What does this mean for your writing? If you are like me, it means there is NO TIME TO WRITE. Things have increased at work as people rush there paperwork in before we close for the holidays. I still have Christmas presents to buy, family members to argue with. Recipes to organise and a house to clean.

In addition, I’m still supposed to fit in my writing?

Damn straight, I will, I want to be published, I want to write books that people love to read, books that people count down for the release date. The only way to do this is to write, currently I lock myself in the bathroom for 10 minutes a day, if I can fit more in before there is a knock, I take it. It’s all freehand, no way I’d have uninterrupted time at the computer. But I’m happy, as long as I can get something in, I think myself lucky.

There is a reason it’s called the silly season.

How are your writing journeys going during the Christmas season, do you have a secret to getting those words down. If so, please share them with us.

Merry Christmas everyone.
Bea Jay Nelson