13 Divas
Check out some great romance writers I know. (Listed in totally random order)
1. Jennifer Leeland My favorite redneck writer.
2. Kimberly Menozzi An Italian (Hey, you live there now. It counts) with an eye for man candy and cycling.
3. Tatiana Caldwell A sister to my anime heart.
4. A. Catherine Noon A fellow seamstress and world builder.
5. Paige Tyler The queen of spanking.
6. Darla M. Sands who has strange tastes in shoes and music.
7. Shelley Munro A New Zealand author who does crazy things with aliens.
8. Adelle Laudan A biker chick who writes bikes and hunky Indian stuff
9. Ella Drake She of the hunky firemen and dark paranormals.
10. Sasha Devlin who comes with warning labels.
11. Mary Quast A sensualist with an eye for men.
12. Janice Seagraves A mu7lti-year NaNoWriMo winner.
13. Heather who reminds me of Wisconsin even when I’m not begging her to.
Dang! I’ve barely scratched the surface and have already run out of room. Well, maybe next week.
Ah Maria, The Widow
The death of her husband, the Emperor Francis Stephen, was a hard blow for Queen Maria of Austria to endure. At age forty-eight, she had been running the kingdom without much in the way of input from her husband. That was the way Maria liked it, and Francis was happy to oblige.
While she had little need of Francis in an official capacity, she had an overwhelming emotional need for him. It wasn’t only that she loved him; she adored him, cherished him. She wasn’t blind to his faults, not in the least, but she was ready to forgive him for nearly anything.
One thing the modern reader must bear in mind is that Maria, although Empress, was living in 18th century Austria. And 18th century Austria was very much a man’s world. And Francis was Holy Roman Emperor. While that particular title had fallen on somewhat hard times by then, it was by no means meaningless.
Francis, like every other European monarch of the age, had certain privileges he felt he had every right to enjoy. Like, opera singers, for example. Maria didn’t like it, but nobody asked her. She could hardly have said no. Then there was all the time he spent with his drinking and gambling buddies. She didn’t care for these fellows one bit. Again, what could she do?
She was afraid of losing him. Not that Francis could or would divorce her, but she was afraid of losing his love. It was all too common for a monarch to ignore his wife once the all-important business of begetting a heir had been taken care of. “ An heir and a spare.” That was the thing.
(more…)
318/365 Graffiti Wall
There’s a wall at the end of a foot bridge that anyone can put graffiti on whenever they want. Some amazing stuff goes up on it.
Association – Last Chance at the Silver Ingot
I’ll still count you in if you post something like this today.
Lacy – A Bad Girl’s Revenge by Chérie De Sues
Lacy Hennessey is hunting the last man linked to an ambush that led to her father’s death. As an heir to her father’s role as the enforcer for the Irish mob in Boston, Lacy is armed and dangerous when she arrives in a small Colorado resort.
Dr. Josh Davenport missed his flight for a little R & R after an avalanche blocks the road, when he meets Lacy at the Hotel bar. Lacy easily manipulates Josh into offering her a place to sleep for the night. But Josh is aware Lacy isn’t just another gorgeous blonde in a red dress with legs that go all the way up.
Lacy enjoys Josh’s company and his bed, but business is business when she leaves his arms to face the man who killed her father. And if Josh makes any more connections about her real identity, Lacy may have to add him to her list.
Here’s a short excerpt:
Curvy, blonde and gorgeous slinked into the bar, as Josh took in class with a capital C. With heels, she looked liked an Amazon—tall, athletic and narrow-waisted. The gods had sent this woman to him; somehow, he’d done something right in his life and she was his reward. Blue eyes, creamy skin and a red dress that made his heart skip beats. He followed her every sinuous move until she chose a chair up against the back wall and glanced around the room.
The woman searched for someone and Josh hoped like hell that would be him. Seconds later, their eyes met and her warm smile struck a match to his insides. He slid off the barstool with his drink and headed in her direction.
As he neared, the goddess lifted her eyes once more to his and a chill ran along his spine. He hadn’t felt anything like that since his residency under Dr. Spellman. The man had been a predator with all new doctors. Josh shook off the bad memories.
“I’m Josh Davenport; may I sit with you?”
The Dog Biscuit Gods
She calls them the Dog Biscuit Gods. She says she throws them treats – ideas and dreams and words – then waits. They throw her books. Wish I had Dog Biscuit Gods.
Monkey Man hosts the 160 Character Challenge. See what you can write in 160 characters or less, spaces included.
How to Make an Origami Helmet
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a385/AliceAudrey/Blog3/OrigamiH14.jpg
Suzie’s House 166: Reaching Out Across the Grass
Owen watch Gene cross the grass in the park with a sense of pride and frustration. His boy was getting big. In a few more years, he’d be taller than his old man. He walked with too much confidence, though. That was all right. Once he got the boy home where he belonged, he’d make that confidence go back under ground where it belonged.
Still several feet from the park bench where Owen sat, Gene stopped stock still. His head whipped from side to side looking. Owen knew what he was looking for, but he wasn’t going to help the boy out. He’d have to ask. Maybe more than once.
313/365 Origami Helmet
It’s made of a kind of foil/paper similar to what comes wrapped around a stick of gum. The Girl made it.
