If you loved, liked, enjoyed this book…I’d really appreciate the vote.

http://hea-reviews.blogspot.com/p/best-book-contest_30.html

I decided to start planning a weeks worth of meals on Saturday. That way I knew what I needed to buy at the store, I knew what kind of meat to get out of the freezer every morning, and I hoped to cut down on our grocery bill with a permanent menu. This is only my second week doing this, but I have to say, as the cook in the family, I’m less stressed. I no longer have to answer the question, “What’s for dinner?” Everyone can look on the fridge and see what we’re having.

The only thing negative about it is, I’m lazy. There are some nights were I don’t want to peel all those potatoes for the scalloped potato dish I said I’d make. lol

Tonight’s menu is fish tacos with steak fries on the side. Since I don’t buy very many processed foods, that means I have to cut potatoes, spice them, and bake them. My cod (why does that seem nasty? lol Must be because I’m an erotic author, huh?) needs to be breaded and deep fried. The cabbage needs to be put through the shredder. I made Salsa a few months ago, so I already have that made. To feed a family of six (that includes 3 teenaged boys) it’ll take me almost 2 hours of my day to prep. This brings me back to the once-a-month cooking my friend does and I am so jealous. I’d gain, at least, two hours of my day. Better yet, I could drive to the local pub 40 minutes away and grab takeout! Plus, I wouldn’t have dirty dishes to deal with. lol

I’m not giving up on doing the weekly meal planning. I think in the long run it will be better than my usual chaos. How do you plan your dinners? How much time out of the day does it take you to cook?

How does that sound? My muse got to jabberin’ last week, and I listened. I’m already deep into chapter three and falling more in love with this story every minute. Ethan Tolene, a legend werewolf hardened by life’s decisions he was forced to make years ago. Danielle, the innocent she-wolf set on vengeance. Yeah, I’m a tease…that’s all you’ll get until I’m finished with the story.

I had a wonderful weekend. The weather was perfect. Saturday, I washed all the lower level windows on the outside, scrubbed the deck, and cleaned the bbq. Of course, the wind then sprinkled everything with fir needles. I can’t win when I live in the middle of the forest. lol Hubs came home from work that night and thought Chinese food sounded good. No way was I going to argue over that. I’m weird though, because the only part of Chinese food that I like is Fried Shrimp. No rice, chow mein, sub gum for me. Actually, Fried Shrimp is my all time favorite food. All I needed was a tub of hot mustard and sesame seeds, and I was a very happy girl. On Sunday, I did some work on the computer and played lazy. All the kids stayed home on Sunday, so it was a nice family day.

If you have time tomorrow, you should stop by my good friend and author, Gina Gordon’s blog. She asked me why I love romance. Come on over and see if you agree.

Did you guys hear the news? There’s a new epublisher in town. They opened for submissions. You can check out Etopia Press here. I wish them the best of luck!

Are you ready to party? Breathless Press turns one years old in August…and my how it has grown! From the news going around, you should get ready for some fun. Lots of prizes!

Speaking of August. I can’t believe how fast summer is going. Around here, August is our whole summer. Fall starts showing up in early September. I’m going to try and make the most of the remaining time. What do you have planned for the rest of summer? Anyone going on vacation? Maybe enjoy some of those warm summer nights sitting outside…

Honestly, it smelled funny to me, but what do I know? I’m a female, not a male. I could certainly put up with the scent if it caused my hubs to go out of control with lust, right?

Just for good measure, I dabbed some more on my wrists right before he walked through the door after work. I stood in front of the stove cooking and trying to contain the giggles. I was so excited. I imagined him sweeping me off my feet, throwing me on the bed, and showing me his lustful side. Instead, he kissed the side of my neck, asked what was for dinner, and said, “Hm, that smells kind of funky.”

*heartdrop*

I did not give up though, because maybe the scent of Patchouli mixed with chili wasn’t a good combination. Once the dishes were washed, I dabbed another spot of the oil on my neck and walked into the living room. Snuggling up beside hubs to make sure he could catch a whiff, I waited.

He lifted his arm, sniffed, and asked me if I smelled that odor.

*heartdrop*

This was not going well. Apparently, he thought our house smelled moldy, and then he thought maybe a mouse had climbed into the air ducts and died. It was time to come clean. I confessed my two week adventure over trying to drive him crazy with lust. While he was laughing, I jumped in the shower. lol

Today, I can look at the bottle of oil and laugh. It was funny. In fact, my whole marriage has been a learning experience. I try to keep things fresh and new. More often than not, it ends up being a laughable situation, but you know what? That’s romance! Those times we both crack up and spend more time laughing over our silly attempts to impress the other one keeps our relationship a good one.

I bet some of you have your own funny attempts at romance too. Wanna share?

There will be more chances to win one of my books. I have four more releases this year and I’ll be celebrating with you!

Buy Link

Blurb

Debbie Nordall was tired of the guys her age who only wanted to party and change girlfriends every other week. She wanted someone older, wiser, and more sophisticated to love.

Mick Reed spotted her right away. The woman at the bar was confident, beautiful, and young… everything he wanted. She was the woman who would commit to him fully, and in return, he’d give her anything she wanted. Was he fooling himself to think that age didn’t matter?

Excerpt

The good-looking bartender with his short-cropped hair and black tie danced over and leaned across the counter. “What can I get you, beautiful?”

“Irish cream caramel on ice, please.”

“Make that two, and I’ll pay for the lady’s drink.” A low, husky voice over her shoulder raised the hair at the back of her neck.

The bartender nodded. “Comin’ up.”

The man stood close enough that his body brushed the back of her hair, and a shiver raced up her spine. A whiff of cologne came off him, and she closed her eyes to inhale. Drakkar.

Microorgasmic by his scent alone, she feared facing the man and dashing her pleasure with reality. Probably an out-of-shape divorcé whose main goal it is to see how many phone numbers he can get in a single night.

“Is this seat taken?”

She sighed and glimpsed a strong masculine hand pointing at the bar stool to his left. She shook her head. Get ready for the lame-ass pick-up line. One, two, three…

The man sat down and remained silent. Although, the heat from his gaze warmed her skin. She squirmed on the stool. His lack of conversation piqued her curiosity. If he bought her a drink, wasn’t he going to try to flirt a little?

The bartender returned with two small tumblers filled with rich, creamy-colored liquid swimming in ice. She smiled and picked up the glass. The least she could do was acknowledge the man.

“Thank you for the drink.” She turned, and the sip she was preparing to take never met her lips.

Dark haired with a sprinkle of silver at the temples, the man wore sexy like a second skin. Black slacks with a white silk dress shirt against his tan skin screamed sophisticated…and dangerous. She pegged him at forty-eight, maybe fifty years old, because of the lines at the outside edges of his dark brown eyes.

He lifted the corner of his mouth, a very tantalizing mouth with full lips, and showed a hint of a teasing manner. “Go ahead, take a sip.”

She raised the glass and let the ice-cold liquor coat her tongue. Her eyelids fluttered at the rich, decadent taste. Between the allure of the older man, the cologne he wore, and the taste of her favorite drink, she’d be surprised if she didn’t leave a puddle of pussy juice on the bar stool.

“Again.” He lifted his glass, daring her to follow his order.

Her nipples hardened under the almost see-through blouse. His gaze swept down and settled on her reaction to him. Not wanting to disappoint, she savored another mouthful. Holding it on her tongue, she moaned softly. Oh God, this is wicked.

“Good?” His lips curved as he stared at her mouth.

She shuddered under his gaze. “Y-yes. Delicious.”

“Are you here with someone?”

She gazed at the way he raised his arm and brought his drink to his mouth. He held the glass under his nose, inhaling the sweet aroma before gently setting the rim against his lower lip. Her lower stomach quivered, and she found herself leaning forward, closer, to take in the way the tumbler caressed his lips before he swallowed.

He smiled. The lines at the corner of his eyes crinkled in amusement. “I take it you’re here by yourself?”

Oh God, he’s left me speechless. What do I tell him? “I came with a girlfriend, but she’s meeting her boyfriend for dinner.” She glanced across the bar. “I decided to have a drink before joining them.”

“Excellent. I’d love to share your company, and maybe we can get to know one another?” He gazed around the room. “I’m glad I decided to stop in and have a drink before heading home.”

Nodding, she smiled. Could he be more perfect for me?

“Deb.”

She slowly turned around and found Cheryl standing in the bar, frowning. Wrinkling her nose, Debbie knew her friend wasn’t going to like hearing that she changed her mind. She’d go a year without dates to continue sitting at the bar with the promise of seeing Mr. Sexy again, if only to soak in his presence for a little longer.

“The guys are here, and there’s a table ready for us.” Her friend glanced over at the man beside her and quickly ignored him. “Get your ass off the stool, girlfriend, and let’s go.”

Debbie sucked her bottom lip in and caught it between her teeth. “I—”

“She’s staying here.”

Cheryl’s head shifted on her neck, and her eyes widened. “Excuse me? I don’t believe I was talking to you.” She pivoted and turned her back on him. “Why is this old dude telling you what to do? What’s going on, Debbie? I thought you said you’d give the guy Gary’s bringing with him a chance.”

“I…I changed my mind.” She gave a short laugh. “I’m sorry. Things have changed.” Looking over at the man, she smiled. “Go on without me, Cheryl. I’ll make this up to you. I swear.”

Cheryl leaned in and whispered in her ear, “He’s twice your age. Are you drunk?”

She threw back her head and laughed. “Not at all. For the first time, I’m doing exactly what I want.”

“Unbelievable.” Cheryl gazed at both of them, scrunched up her face, and shook her head. “Freaking unbelievable.”

Her friend walked off without a backward glance. She swallowed. She’d make Cheryl understand later.

They’d known each other since college, but it was hard for her to explain to Cheryl about her attraction to older men or her lack of desire for someone her own age. It wasn’t like she went out of her way to turn younger men down. She didn’t understand the whole dynamic of finding herself drawn to men twice her age herself half the time.

Debbie swiveled back around. The man held out his hand. Her hand automatically lifted. Her fingers were swallowed up in the size of his gentle hold.

“Mick…Mick Reed.” He turned over her hand, brought her palm up to his lips, and kissed the sensitive skin.

*I’m having my phone worked on today, and since I’m on dialup internet I might not be able to approve your comment right away. Don’t worry, all comments will be counted. I’m crossing my fingers that the phone company works fast though. I’ll announce the winner Wednesday morning. Good Luck!

The first book of Within the Circle series called Truth of Fire won. It comes out October 1st. The second, From the Water, comes out Oct. 15th and the third book, Summon the Wind comes out Oct. 29th. You’ll be able to read the whole series in October…pretty cool, huh?

Congratulations to everyone who won. Here’s a list of the winners and the title of their book.

Cross-stitch and Brimstone by Stephanie Beck

Dusk Takes Dawn by Celia Sweet & Shirin Dubbin

Demon Heart by Nicole Dennis

A Demon Kiss by Sable Grey

Liaison by Ambrielle Kirk

Demons Love Cinnamon by Kate Richards

Truth of Fire by Abby Wood

Sweet Release by Carrie Pulkinen

Granite Devotion by Morgan Sierra

Just This Night by Juliet Cardin

I don’t know about you guys, but I’m ready for fall to come…I love witches, demons, and things that go boo in the night!

I’ll also be giving away a copy of my latest release Consent to the Cowboy that’s out now at Carina Press.

Don’t forget that next Tuesday, July 20th, Twice Her Age comes out at Loose Id. Older guy, younger woman…what’s age got to do with it?

Besides receiving a new contract, I’ve learned that other things can motivate me in my writing career.

Other authors

A new idea

A rainy day

Good News

A delicious snack

Brainstorming

Family

Kind words

I started thinking that real life is a lot like writing. There are days we don’t want to work, see the dentist, or go to parent conferences. We all have ways of dealing with it though. Motivators come in all different ways. I feel better when I go outside and exercise. Sometimes meeting a friend for a drink and just forgetting about what I’m supposed to do will kick start me to come back and finish what I started.

This morning my hubs and all the kids gushed over my good news. They told me they are proud of me. Words and actions go a long way, don’t they? It makes me want to be a better writer, wife, and mom.

What are your motivators?

Last week, we got hit with some hot weather for our area. When it gets in the high 90′s, I follow the geese’s behavior and find somewhere to cool off. I go to our creek to swim. The geese go to their pond to splash around. While going through some pictures, I found an older one of when our geese were just little gooslings. I thought I’d share it with you. The big goose in the front is the momma, the other bigger goose is the momma’s first son (the only one who survived the cougar.) The four little ones are from her second batch and they are all grown up now.

Aren’t they cute lil’ fuzzy butts?

Today is overcast and cooler. When I went out to feed them, they were nestled down in their straw staring up at me as if they expected me to feed them in bed. They are smart animals. They know when to rest and take it easy. I’m going to do the same today. I’m working on a story and I’m approaching the end. I’m going to forget about the weeds that need pulled, the laundry that needs washed, and the house that needs dusted. I’m going to nestle down in the chair and write.