Can I just say how glad I was to wake up to a new week today? After traveling to West Virginia last week for a funeral and rushing to get a book that was due in by the end of the week I am happy to say goodbye to last week and hello to a fresh new week.
On to the main topic. A while back I blogged about a book that made me crazy, and not in a good way, so when over the weekend I read a book that I enjoyed so much I could hardly put it down to finish my own, I had to say something.
I am not a reviewer so this won't be a well thought out and fully written review but instead me gushing over a book that made me feel good. It's a paranormal story full of vampires, werewolves and various other supernaturals. I love that kind of thing. The heroine is completely kick ass, the hero a nice yummy alpha male, the sex scenes are HAWT and there is a ton of action! But what it really boils down to is that I got lost in a book for the first time in a while.
It's sometimes the peril of becoming a writer. While you don't lose your joy for reading, you do tend to read differently. Dare I say more critically? Or maybe it's just me.
So thank you Cynthia Eden for writing a book I was able to lose myself in. And if you like I very sexy paranormal, then I highly suggest this book.
Here is the blurb for the book and link to the author's website for more.
BEING BULLET PROOF SUCKS—LITERALLY
Once, Maya Black was a kick-ass cop patrolling the streets of L.A. She still keeps the city safe, but nowadays her bad guys of choice include demons, werewolves, and assorted nocturnal scum. Something Maya knows a thing or two about. She’s a vampire—and not thrilled about it. Payback meet bitch.
Adam Brody hopes Maya is as dangerous as they say she is. He needs her to help rescue his niece Cammie from a ruthless band of vamps, and he’s willing to pay—in blood. Trusting her is another matter. Adam has never met a vampire who doesn’t lie. Then again, he’s never met anyone like Maya, who fills him with a desperate need that ignites into explosive, no-holds-barred encounters…
It's late and I'm tired. I took my son to the movies tonight. Took my daughter to the mall. One headache, some edits, and a few emails later and I'm ready to hit the sack.
I have never tried one of the Thursday Thirteens, however, I might end up using it more frequently. I chose the theme of desserts tonight because I am in the midst of the first round of edits for my upcoming Samhain Publishing book, Pink Buttercream Frosting. I have sugar on the brain.
Let me know what your favorite dessert is. It of course does not have to be from this list. I love to bake and who knows, someone might mention something that I haven't even tried yet.
Theme: Desserts
1. Blackberry Cobbler 2. Banana Pudding 3. Chocolate Cake 4. Cheesecake 5. Peanut Butter Pie 6. Chocolate Chip Cookies 7. Brownies 8. Lemon Meringue Pie 9. Chocolate Cream Pie 10. Chocolate Ice Cream 11. Blueberry Pie 12. Chocolate Eclairs 13. Tiramisu
To me America is as much about its physical attributes as it is about its ideals. And this song embodies that for me. I can picture the purple mountains majesty and the amber waves of grain. And Ray Charles' is my favorite version.
The Declaration of Independence: It's spirit underlies everything we do as a country and as individuals.
"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."
I could have done a whole list (you know how I love those), but instead I asked a few writer friends, what's one thing that makes America great to you? Not all of them were Americans. I grabbed people who have been guest authors here on the blog, or on my website.
One thing that became clear as I read the responses was that for most of us our idea of what America is or represents is very personal. I think...despite its flaws and vociferous criticism both at home and abroad...I think America still means something to all of us.
I've listed the responses in the order I received them. Noelle writing as Chloe Harris:
For me a great thing about America is the neighborhood parade we particiate in on the 4th. No sign ups. No regulations. It's a parade for the people by the people. Just show up at 8am in the middle school parking lot and you're in. It's a candy tossing/catching free for all and everyone has a great time. The mayor even shows up almost every year. It's so charmingly rockwellian, I wouldn't miss it for the world.
Karen McCullough http://www.kmccullough.com
The Preamble to the Constitution of the United States of America, which is without doubt one of the most important documents ever written:
"We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America."
Small-town 4th of July festivities with homemade apple dumplings, cringe-worthy cover bands murdering Journey, blue ribbons for the best chocolate cake and fireworks I can see from my backyard.
L.B. Gregg http://www.lbgregg.com
One thing that makes America great, to my mind, is our ability to lend each other a hand when the chips are down, even when we disagree. And while we're often divided, ultimately we have a single identity. Jasper John's Flag (oh I love a manly artiste), simple, straightforward, and plain, manages to convey that spirit of unity. New times, new causes, new rights to defend-we adapt, change, grow, and yet, somehow, that spirit of unity prevails.
Karen Anders: http://www.karenanders.com
Thanks for including me. I think America is great because of its pioneer spirit. The grit and determination of its people has made this country great. When it was fractured, a man who embodied that spirit stepped forward and held the union together.
Lincoln fought to keep the country together and for that, for his sacrifice we owe him a great debt of gratitude. He was a true pioneer both in his rearing and in his spirit. He made sure the world would remember that the Civil War involved an even larger issue. With his famous and emotion-laden speech in dedicating the military cemetery at Gettysburg, he said: “that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain--that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom--and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.”
His famous words should echo in our hearts every day.
Virginia Kantra: http://virginiakantra.com
John and Abigail Adams from the musical 1776. Never mind the ineffectiveness of Congress or the hardships at home. Their dedication to an ideal, their commitment, service, and sacrifice - relived by so many, especially those now serving in the armed forces - are what make America great.
Lissa Matthews:
Music is my one thing that makes America great. The Boston Pops doing the 1812 Overture on the Fourth of July, a choir singing Battle Hymn of the Republic, the singing of the National Anthem before a Nascar race, a church choir singing the Hallelujah Chorus, Big Band era music, Aaron Copeland's Fanfare For The Common Man, the Florida State University Seminoles Marching Chiefs, drum lines, and a whole bunch of others that I can think of that would take up way too much of Sam's blog.
Shelley Munro: http://www.shelleymunro.com
I'm not an American, but as a visitor, one thing that makes America great for me is the beautiful National Parks. I've attached two photos. One is of Yosemite National Park and the other is of Mount Rainier National Park and me :). Each time we visit America we try to visit different parks and have visited well-known ones such as Yellowstone and Mesa Verde and some that are not as well known such as Black Canyon and Petrified Forest. Americans are lucky to have such easy access to nature. Spend a day, or longer, and explore the wilderness!
So, tell us what makes America great to you!! Happy Fourth of July everyone. Have fun and be safe.
Talk about a job that requires you to go above and beyond. New Zealand Air has started a news set of commercials and they have gotten their employees to actually strip for their jobs.
When you watch this commercial, realize that the New Zealand Air employees are wearing nothing but paint and shoes.
What a great ad campaign! They’ve gone so far as to do the in-flight safety video using the same technique! I’ll bet far more people started to pay attention after this video made its appearance on the runway. LOL How many lives will be saved by nudity?
I love it when companies go out on a limb and buy a crazy idea like this. Can you imagine the first time it was suggested to the CEO? “Um… Mr. Bigwigg, I think we should have flight attendants and pilots be naked and talk about how we don’t have any hidden fees.” I’ve been in on plenty of corporate meetings. None of the directors or executives I’ve worked for would have bought that idea. But, guess what? The NZ Air CEO is one of the baggage handlers in the commercial. This was brilliant! Just brilliant.
Have a great holiday weekend everyone! Kiss Kiss ~Mari
Well, this won't be full of book trailers. I...well, I'm in an odd mood. So, please forgive me. These might make you laugh. They might make you groan. They might make you shake your head and all decide that I need professional help. I will completely understand and likely agree with you.
First up...an animated Gilette How-To commercial. There is a series of these, but well, given that we all write erotic romance, I figured that these two were the most appropriate...
Now that you're really thinking I've gone off the deep end, just hold on, cause... I found this the other day. I have no idea how but it just goes to show what happens when I just start clicking on random links at youtube...
This is a preview for a web reality show called Mommy XXX...she's a real porn star raising two teenagers...it's...well, interesting.
We write erotic romance or some of us, erotica. We read it. We have graphic sex in our books and some of us want more of it. We are moms, wives, business women, friends, daughters, sisters, etc... We have shows about uber rich housewives in LA, in NY that none of can identify with. We have a show about a mom that starts selling weed after her husband dies and she has sex on desks and has all sorts of things going on in her house that most of us outside of tvland wouldn't even consider. So, why not a reality web show about a porn star raising two kids? They are people, too. Right?
Then, there's this web show, Imaginary Bitches, that is about a girl that creates imaginary friends because all her real life friends are too busy with their relationships to...pay her much attention.
A truly interesting collection here today...nothing about book trailers, but then... yeah, I know...
Ya'll have a good day...remember, against the grain! grins...
The heroine is completely kick ass, the hero a nice yummy alpha male, the sex scenes are HAWT and there is a ton of action! But what it really boils down to is that I got lost in a book for the first time in a while.
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