I am off today (yay!) and spending the day writing, cleaning house, keeping busy, etc. I had hoped to plant some new bushes, but there was a freeze last night (ugh) and the ground is veddy cold.

This weekend my DH is having his first jewelry party – he’s a very talented jewelry designer and this is his premiere. I’m getting the house ready for the party.

I’m also working on The Salvation of Sarah, my third Brava book. Sarah is Micah’s sister, the hero of the second book. She’s tough, outspoken and likes to be in control. While Whitman, the hero, has a secret he can’t tell her as he becomes her unexpected traveling companion. I’m rubbing my hands together as the tension mounts…

Happy Halloween y’all! If you’re going to a party, going trick or treating or just enjoying chocolate, be safe and have fun.

I’m catching my breath here (briefly) and I wanted to share with y’all a funny comic. You see, as of yesterday, I got my first pair of reading glasses.

*sigh*

I am starting to suffer from the over-40 syndrome of being unable to read close-up. Although they told me I actually had a slight distance problem too, but I wasn’t about to go down that path on my very first pair of glasses.

Anyhoo, this comic strip is one of my favorites, being that I have two teenage boys. This one reminded me that I’m not alone in my CRS disease. (Thanks to Janice for the comic!)

Hope you all have a great Thursday!

For those of us suffering from excruciating gas prices, the North Carolina prices (as well as SC and GA) were really struck hard by the hurricane in the Gulf that smashed Galveston. NC had the highest gas prices in the continental US. Woopee. Our prices skyrocketed up within a day (before the hurricane hit) and stayed there.

And stayed there.

Even while oil prices dropped to a two year low, as of 10 days ago I paid $4.39 a gallon. *wince*

Finally, finally, finally the prices began to drop. Yesterday I saw $2.65 and thought, “Wow, that’s a great price.”

*pause*

Well, not really, but how pitiful is that? My DH told me it was $2.40 in the small town he works in. Holy crap! Exciting, but as I said pitiful, to see gas prices below $2.50 a gallon. The one thing that’s hit the economy super hard is the ridiculous gas prices.

Now it won’t cost me $40 to fill my little 11 gallon tank (I cried the first time that happened). I filled up at $2.74 a gallon on Sunday for a wonderful price of $24.00. And I mean wonderful. :)

It’s release day for Secret Thoughts, the anthology of smokin’ hot stories by Sasha White, S. Desires, J.J. Massa, Laura Bacchi, and me.

WOOHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Make sure you have ice water, and any other accoutrements you might need, before reading this anthology. ;)

Here’s the gorgeous cover:

And the sexy blurb:

Domination or submission? Menage a trois or man on man? What about voyeurism? A tease? A taste? Sink your teeth into this collection of erotica short stories from five top erotic storytellers. Everyone has them. Those Secret Thoughts that bring forth your hottest dreams and desires. The ones you dont share, the ones that make your heart pound and your blood heat. What’s your pleasure? Kink? A lusty encounter with a stranger? Two strangers? How about man on man while you watch? These authors draw back the curtain on your deepest, lustiest, most secret forbidden fantasies. Slow and sensuous. Or hot and hard. The pleasures all yours. Go on. Step through the curtain. You know you want to.
Warning: this title contains the following: explicit sex, graphic language, D/s, light bondage, mnage a trois, hot nekkid man-love.

And here’s an excerpt from my favorite story I have in the antho, Cable Guy.

Cable Guy — An Excerpt

“Ma’am, I can’t find your house. Can you give me directions?”

He had a smooth, husky voice like a male phone sex operator. Lydia squeezed her thighs together and kept the plastic pressed to her ear so as not to miss a syllable. She’d been on the line for about two minutes and each second was sheer bliss.

The cable guy was giving her the hots.

“Um, sure. Where are you now?” She sounded like an idiot, all squeaky and silly.

“I’m right off Pulley Road near highway 97.” A sound, as if he was shifting in the truck’s seat echoed through the phone. “My directions must be wrong, because you surely aren’t here.”

Lydia giggled like a teenager, completely unlike her thirty-six year old self. “No, I’m at least five miles from there.” She proceeded to give him directions, amazed her brain functioned enough to remember what to say.

“Do you mind hanging on the line with me until I get there?” He chuckled. “It saves me having to dial the phone again.”

Lydia smiled at the empty room. “Of course I don’t mind. What’s your name?”

“I’m Elijah Cavanaugh, ma’am.” He cleared his throat. “Most folks call me Eli.”

Eli. Perfect. It fit his voice like a custom-made pair of boots.

Lydia’s tongue decided to run away and become stupid. “Eli, you have, ah, a really nice voice.”

A pause which lasted at least ten minutes, or it felt like ten minutes. What was she thinking? Some stranger at the end of the phone line was going to be flattered by her?

“Why thank you, Ms. Childers. That’s right kind of you.”

His sweet southern drawl and manners were refreshing to a woman used to urban life. Rural North Carolina obviously offered more than strawberry fields and horse farms if the cable guy was any indication. He hadn’t dismissed her compliment off-hand either, perhaps…

“No, it’s not kind, it’s just the truth.” Her cheeks flushed hotly. “I don’t mean to embarrass you.”

“It’s all right.” He said “all” like it had an extra letter in it—ahll.

Lydia paced back and forth in front of the sliding glass doors, her bare feet slapping on the wooden floor. Her heart beat a steady tattoo as her mind conjured images of the mysterious cable guy.

“Where are you now?” She scrambled for something, anything to keep him on the phone.

“I’m turning down Brookstone Lane, over near the old red barn.” He sighed. “I remember when it wasn’t old and there wasn’t any new houses out here. No wonder I couldn’t find you.”

“Sorry about that. I guess I screwed up the directions when I called in. It’s a brand new house and I’m from Raleigh. I haven’t been out here long enough to know my way around.” She took a breath to slow herself down.

“You don’t need to be sorry, ma’am. I’m sure you gave our office the right directions.” He cleared his throat. “I do believe I’ve found your neighborhood. Clearwater Springs?”

Lydia’s entire body clenched with excitement. He was almost there. She glanced down with horror and remembered that after her shower, she’d thrown on a holy pair of shorts and a stained T-shirt with no bra. For God’s sake, she hadn’t even brushed her teeth!

“Ah, yep, that’s me. Third road on the left, all the way in the back of the cul-de-sac. See you in a minute!” With a curse, she hung up the phone and ran to the bathroom, nearly skidding into the wall.

In the bathroom, Lydia made a face at her reflection with the blonde hair flying every-which-way. She could have at least used some gel. After brushing her teeth in record time, she threw the clip on the vanity and tried to do something with her hair.

Before she could even think about changing her clothes, the doorbell rang. Lydia looked at herself in the mirror.

“Be nice, even if he looks like Quasimodo. With a voice like that, it doesn’t matter if he does have a hump.”

With a nervous laugh, she ran out of the bathroom and down the hallway. The doorbell sounded again.

“I’m coming!”

Then she laughed again at her own stupid joke. Jesus, she was acting like an idiot. Lydia’s mind ran through all the images of Eli Cavanaugh in the seconds it took to open the door.

He wasn’t anything like she pictured. Not a damn thing.

***

Pick up your copy today!

Monday’s eye candy for your viewing pleasure.

Well, my weekend in Tennessee was fun but tiring. The drive back seemed to take forever and I didn’t get home until almost 9 p.m. Then up at 5 a.m. for my normal Monday routine.

However, the weekend itself was worth the trip. It was the first time for my Mom, but my sister had come with me last year. The authors that came were a great mixture of folks. Some were friends others were future friends. LOL.

Of course I got completely tongue-tied around Julia Quinn. Geez, at the salad bar all I could think of to say was “Wow, those onions are fragrant.” Which she promptly agreed with when she got a whiff. *head on desk*

Seriously y’all, I love her work and the few times I’ve spoken with her I turn into a blithering idiot. Same with Teresa Medeiros. Gads, I just couldn’t get out of the awkward, shy stage.

It was great to see folks I know like Lora Leigh, Trista Ann Michaels and Jessie Verino, along with the lovely ladies Lydia and Sharon who put everything into making this event for the authors and readers the best it can be.

Trista has some pics up on her blog. PJ, a lovely reader I met a Celebrate Romance, took some wonderful pictures too including the one above of Julia and Teresa, and this one of me, mom and my sister. Aren’t we pretty?

Note who’s the tallest BTW.

MY STRIPPER NAME: Raquelle Lusty Tush – I love it!!

We all need a stripper name. Don’t we? :D See what your stripper name will be then share it!

1. Use the third letter of your first name to determine your new first name:

> A = Chesty
> B = Fantasia
> C = Starr
> D = Diamond
> E = Montana
> F = Angel
> G = Sugar
> H = Pinky
> I = Lola
> J =Kitty
> K = Roxie
> L = Dallas
> M = Princess
> N = Heidi
> O = Bambi
> P = Bunny
> Q = Brandy
> R = Sugar
> S = Candy
> T = Raquelle
> U = Sapphire
> V= Cinnamon
> W = Blaze
> X = Trixie
> Y = Isis
> Z = Jade

2. Use the second letter of your last name to determine the first half of your new last name:
> a = Leather
> b = Dream
> c = Sunny
> d = Deep
> e = Heaven
> f = Tight
> g = Shimmer
> h = Velvet
> i = Lusty
> j = Harley
> k = Passion
> l = Dazzle
> m = Dixie
> n = Spank
> o = Glitter
> p = Razor
> q = Meadow
> r = Glitzy
> s = Sparkle
> t = Sweet
> u = Silver
> v = Tickle
> w = Cherry
> x = Hard
> y = Night
> z = Amber

3. Use the third letter of your last name to determine the second half of your new last name:
> a = hooters
> b = horn
> c = tower
> d = fire
> e = thighs
> f = hips
> g = side
> h = jugs
> i = shock
> j = cocker
> k = brook
> l = tush
> m = sizzle
> n = storm
> o = kiss
> p = bomb
> q = cream
> r = thong
> s = heat
> t = whip
> u = cheeks
> v = rock
> w = hiney
> x = button
> y = lick
> z = juice

Monday’s eye candy for your viewing pleasure.

I’m off to Kingsport! Hope everyone has a fabulous weekend. If you are going to be at the Women’s Expo, please be sure to find me at the Waldenbooks booth.

Have a fabulous weekend!

I’m not sure if you know Doreen Orsini or not, she’s an author of erotic romance and a fun lady. I received an e-mail from her which is both tragic and empowering. Read her message below and see if you can help out:

My daughter, Natalie, passed away this past June from a heroin overdose. A year ago, we discovered that she took drugs. In May, she survived her first overdose and we discovered that she was snorting heroin. Our struggle to save her started long before that but, sadly, once she turned 18, the law slammed one door after another in our faces. According to our laws, an 18 year old cannot buy cigarettes or alcohol, but can refuse treatment for drug addiction. Drug addiction controls and distorts the mind. Drug related deaths are second only those from auto accidents (many of which are drug related). Drug addicts are always one high away from overdose or killing someone in an accident. Drug addiction breeds crime. Yet, we have no recourse to save our addicted children once they turn 18. To make this law even more uncanny, the law also states that parents are responsible for their children until they reach the age of 21. Yes, if your addicted child gets behind the wheel of a car and kills someone, you are responsible. BUT you have no power to stop them!

Unless you’ve lost a child, you will NEVER understand the pain. It is the ultimate pain, the all-consuming pain. It is a pain too many parents of addicts will feel in the future. When you lose a child from an overdose or other drug related death, you examine every move, every decision to uncover where you might have erred in your battle to save your child. When you lose a child who has reached the Age of Maturity, your search reveals that you might have succeeded if your hands were not tied by the law, if one door after another did not slam in your face, if you had the right as a parent to do whatever you could to save you child.

Natalie needed help, but felt she could kick the habit on her own. Natalie’s friends said that she was the one they would go to if they were in the midst of some teenage tragedy or if they needed advice. They all said that she dropped everything to help a friend. For her, for our teenagers, for every parent and future parent, we must regain the right to save our kids.

Join the nationwide Natalie Ciappa Not My Child Walk on March 16, 2009. This is too important to be just another walk on Washington. The Natalie Ciappa Not My Child Walk will hit every major city in the nation! Contact every friend and relative across the nation and ask them to join the walk in their city. Email everyone in your contact lists. Tell them to go to www.groups.yahoo.com/group/NatalieCiappaNotMyChildWalk and join to get details about the walk and information regarding petitions, etc. And when the government says our eighteen to twenty year olds have the right to say no to rehab, yell as loud as you can, “Not My Child!”

My daughter once had a 113 GPA, was a cheerleader, sang the Nation Anthem at school sports events, made the National Honor Society, sang in the All County Choir, and coached young cheerleaders. Old Westbury College accepted Natalie into their College of Honors. She dreamt of becoming a criminal profiler. Now, she only lives in my dreams. I can no longer save Natalie, but with your help, I can save others.

Doreen

****

Beth here. As someone with a nearly 17 YO, this absolutely broke my heart. I wanted to give Doreen a hug and tell her yes, I’ll help! Together we can make change happen and help those young adults who need it.