Redneck engineering at it's finest!

(Don't forget about the contest!)

So I went skeet shooting with Sir and some friends on Wednesday night. The gun I used last week, a 12-gauge o/u Stoeger, was available, so I rented it. When the lady handed it to me, I noticed she had to tighten the forestock (or whatever it's called).

Well, took my first shot, went to reload, and suddenly had three pieces of a shotgun in my hand. LOL

The range officer said, "Um, I think you should go get another gun."

Well, unfortunately, they didn't have any other 12-gauge o/us. They only had 20-gauge (I'd already bought three boxes of 12-gauge shells and opened the first box) or pump-action.

Ugh.

So I had to share Sir's gun (also a rental) that I wasn't fond of.

By the time we hit the third station, a guy comes rolling up in a golf cart and calls to me. Voila! A little electrical tape later...

Sir looked at me and said, "You're not seriously going to shoot that, are you?"

Being the good little redneck I am, I said, "Watch me." It was worth it to watch His eye twitch. LOL (I figured they wouldn't bring it back out if it wasn't safe to shoot. Cosmetically challenged isn't dangerous. LOL)

The only thing better would have been if they'd used Hello Kitty duct tape on it. LOL

Yes, I shot it for three rounds. Good ole' redneck engineering never let me down yet. LOL

Everyone has to have stories from their life about someone...eh, modifying or repairing something on-the-fly (but not exactly to manufacturers' standards LOL) to make it work/last/hold out a few more miles/get by until payday. What are your stories? (No, they don't have to be firearm related. LOL)

(Don't forget to add your comment sooner rather than later for a chance to win!)

Shiny New Book Cover: "Doggy Tales 1"

(Don't forget about the contest!)

I love getting shiny new book covers in my inbox! This is the latest one, from my upcoming Siren release, "Doggy Tales - Doggy Tales 1." It's a compilation of several stories, some of which were pre-released, but those were revised and extensively expanded, in addition to two new stories.

I know they're not the Lyall brothers (yes, yes, I'm working on them!) but I hope these scorching hot shape-shifter men will do it for you. LOL

I have been so lucky that I get amazing covers full of win with a side of total awesomsauce. LOL 

As a reader, I love book covers that draw me in and give me an immediate feel for a story, set a specific mood. I'm not a huge stickler for a hero or heroine (or plural) has to look exactly like they're written, but they should be a reasonable facsimile thereof. LOL I don't even mind "headless" heroes and heroines, because I know how difficult it is sometimes to match someone up exactly.

What I don't like are those CGI-avatar cartooney looking covers. I'd rather see a generic hero that's a real guy than one of those things that looks like it belongs in a video game. I just...I don't know, I can't take a book serious that looks like that. LOL That's just me. I'm sure there are some people out there who will disagree, and that's fine.

So what do you like in a book cover? What don't you like? What draws you in or repels you about a book cover? I know we're not supposed to judge a book by its cover, but let's be honest, we all do it.

(Don't forget to add your comment sooner rather than later for a chance to win!)

Acts of Dog and other disasters.

(Don't forget about the contest!)

We always joke that in our house we don't have acts of God, we have acts of Dog. Everything from destroyed linoleum and walls (yes, walls) to the minor, everyday stuff like chewed computer cables. Scudder, our oldest male black Lab was the linoleum destroyer in his puppy-hood. He also ate the handles off several pairs of kitchen shears and is a counter-cruiser extrordinaire. When my son was in diapers, he snarfed several dirty ones here and there.

Apache, our goldador mix, is another counter-cruiser.

Bubbles, our bulldog whom we lost last year to cancer, destroyed part of a kitchen wall, pulled down blinds, and shredded more than one pillow in her day. Among other things.

Gidget, my little one, was the cord chewer, and even one time dragged Christmas ornaments, hangers, and lights into her crate in an attempt to decorate.

I have so many stories that I can't even remember them all. Fortunately, with the exception of the occasional counter cruising that's as much our fault for leaving something out, our dogs have outgrown the worst of their ways. It's kind of nice.

Well, Grimmy the kitten is still in cord-chewing phase, but he's a kitten, and he gets a pass. For now.

Now, I have a new nemesis. BW, the old cat I inherited from my grandparents, has decided that he is bound and determined that my bounce ball chair (that I use as my desk chair) is a scratching post. Yes, I trim his nails. (No, I'm not getting him declawed.)

(You can also see him on my Facebook profile, he's in the banner pic of my desk.)

Yesterday, he punctured the THIRD balance ball. Grrr. I order them from Gaiam.com (they have nice colors and it's where I got the chair from in the first place) and despite them being burst-proof, apparently they're not BW-proof.

So today, Hubby and I went down to Sports Authority and picked up a *blech* grey one and I once again have a chair. This time, I trimmed his front and back claws down and wrapped a sheet around the ball as well as draped a towel over it. Hopefully, that'll put an end to it. (Yes, he has more than one scratching post that he usually uses within three feet of my chair. LOL)

So my question today, dear blog readers, is do you have any good stories (you, family, friends, anywhere is fine) of acts of dog/cat in your household? Let's hear about it. :)

(Don't forget to add your comment sooner rather than later for a chance to win!)

Want to win a Sony e-reader?

As I've mentioned, I'm in the process (slooooowly) of decluttering as we work to combine two houses into one. Digging deep into my closet, I "found" a new Sony PRS-300/SC Pocket Edition e-book reader. (The one pictured is not the actual one, it's a picture from a different site, but the box does say this one is silver.) I had bought it new on clearance to use as a prize, and into the closet it went.

Where I promptly forgot about it. LOL

"How can I get into the running to win this delightful piece of readership bliss?" you ask. Over the next couple of weeks, I'm going to be making regular blog posts. All you have to do for a chance to win is comment on the blog posts -- not just a random comment, of course. You need to actually READ the post and respond to the question or whatever I ask in the post, not just post your name or a "thanks" generic message. (And you need to comment HERE, on my blog post for that particular day, do not post on my blog feed through Facebook or through email, etc.) It's that simple.

I'll pick two random comments (from people who respond appropriately) from each post and add those names to the list. (I'll note in the comments on each post when I've picked winners and who the winners for that post are.) On Monday, March 12th, I'll be picking a random winner from that list.

Easy-peasey!

So don't forget to subscribe to my blog feed, either by using the RSS link at the top of the page in your reader, using the Blogger follow feature, subscribing to my blog feed by email (at the top of the right-hand column), or subscribing through the NetworkedBlogs Follow app in the right column. When you see a new blog entry post, get yourself to it asap to read and comment.

UPDATE:

Our current winners so far (to get their names into the drawing) are, by blog post title:

"Acts of Dog and other disasters."

• Kasey Dean
• PaParanormalFan

"Shiny New Book Cover: 'Doggy Tales 1'"

• Toni
• The Heimster

"Redneck engineering at it's finest!"

• Pat
• Vanessa

"'The End' and other beginnings."

• laurie (parisfan_ca)
• Stacy Wilson

"New Release, what are you reading, etc."

• Ratatosk
• redjuliet

Class list updated.

I've finally got the class list updated with descriptions and event links for both FetLife and Facebook. Please take a moment and check them out if you're interested. They're FREE! :) If you're in Florida, especially near the Tampa Bay region, you might want to take a look.

Thanks!

http://leslirichardson.blogspot.com/p/classes.html

Real-life settings from some of my books.

"Love and Brimstone" is a book near and dear to my heart. Originally the first manuscript I sold, it's also set in a place I absolutely adore -- Yellowstone National Park.

I took my first trip there with my son in 2007, and my second trip with Hubby in 2010. While out there both times, I absorbed the beauty of the American West and Northwest, and got ideas for other books, including "Cross Country Chaos," "Dead Moon Rising," "Stoneface," "Sunset Hearts," and others.

This is how I envision Tim's bookstore in Rapid City ("Stoneface") even though this is Custer, a small town just to the south of Rapid City.


And there's a house overlooking a valley not too far from there that is the inspiration for the Tim and Jack's house.



Over the next few weeks, I'll dig out photos from my trips to show you exactly where the stories took place so you can see for yourself.

New cover, and pre-release for "Brimstone Blues!"

Somehow, I think I forgot to blog about this! Here's my cover for "Brimstone Blues," the second installment in my Brimstone Vampires series! I'm so excited because Siren picked up my series and now I can write the books the way I always envisioned them. (Did I mention I love being a Siren-exclusive author? LOL) And, if you pre-order it, you can get it at a discount! :)

http://www.bookstrand.com/brimstone-blues

Blurb:


[Siren Classic: Erotic Paranormal Romance, vampires, HEA]

Taz thought learning she’s a vampire, surviving attacks on her life, and falling for sexy Matthias were difficult. Can life get any crazier? Haunted by a devastatingly familiar phantom voice, Taz struggles to cope with new bombshells and the painful loss of Matthias’s cousin, Rafe.

As she forges ahead, Taz knows her heart belongs to Matthias. What she doesn’t know is yet another betrayal from where they least expect it lies around the corner. When they all travel to London to carry out justice for Rafe, Taz finds herself in a fight not just for her life, but for her sanity. With the mysterious, lupine-like Others showing no signs of dropping their pursuit of her, Taz struggles to find her way. Fortunately, she has Matthias by her side.

Unfortunately, she has to conceal her painful secret from his grandfather, Tobias. But even worse...she's got a wedding to plan.

Note: This book has been extensively revised. It was previously published with another publisher.

A Siren Erotic Romance

What a "shocking" Valentine's day.

I know I have my Facebook followers' attention after the short status update I posted earlier, so here's the longer version.

The plan Hubby and I had today was to go out to eat this evening, but early. We've sort of turned Tuesday night into our "date night," and since he's retired, we can go out earlier and miss the rush. Considering today is Valentine's Day, eating earlier seemed very prudent.

So I finally went and worked out today (later than I planned) and got back from the gym at about 3:30 or so. But what I'd been neglecting to do for the past couple of days was wash the gloves I use (those fingerless kind) and they smelled. So Hubby brought me the bottle of Woolite from the wash house (I'm getting there, I swear I am). I washed the gloves in the bathroom sink, everything's fine.

Right? Right.

I take the gloves and the bottle of Woolite outside. I didn't bother putting shoes on, because it happens to be fairly warm today. I was going to put the Woolite back in the wash house and hang the gloves on the clothesline to dry.

Let me describe the wash house. Actually, let me back up just a little so the rest of this makes sense. The house we're living in is my grandparents' house that I inherited last year. Because it's only five minutes from my parents, and my cousins live next door, we've basically moved up here and are still deciding what to do with our house.

This is a sixty year-old house that my grandfather built when my mom was a kid. It's an old Jim Walters home that my mom remembers when it was built (she was a little kid). Outside is the building we call the "wash house." Because the washer, dryer, and an old fridge/freezer is in there. It's always been called the wash house. It was my mom's playhouse when she was little, and it's nearly as old as the house. It's about 20'x15' or so big, wooden frame and floor, and sheet metal skin.

Sheet metal. That's key to the story.

The wash house gets its electricity (which is in dire need of updating) from a single electrical wire run from the house to the wash house, about ten feet off the ground. The wire is insulated where it enters the wash house. Nowhere inside the wash house can we see where any wire touches the wash house metal skin.

Still with me? Good.

So here I am this afternoon, barefooted me, holding the wet gloves and bottle of Woolite. I did what I've done countless times before in my life, I put one hand on the wash house metal side for balance while reaching up to take the padlock off the door...

Aaaaand got the crap shocked out of me.

Hmm.

Well, THAT'S different.

I looked high and low and saw NOWHERE the electrical lines were shorting out or touching the sheet metal. I thought okay, let's try this, and flipped the breaker leading to the wash house.

Still got the crap shocked out of me. I went and put shoes on, and it didn't do it.

Hmm. And normally, since I'm wearing shoes when I'm outside, it doesn't shock me. No telling how freaking long it's been doing this, because again, usually I'm not outside barefoot.

This is where I called my dad, after telling Hubby what it was doing. HE goes outside, while I'm standing there on the phone with my dad, and apparently because he didn't believe me, he tries it. Doesn't get shocked. I told him to take his shoes off.

Well, because he apparently wanted to see for himself, he got himself zapped in the process. (My dad, as I was narrating that little vignette over the phone, was laughing his ass off.)

So my dad said he'd be over shortly. (Haha, no pun intended.)

He gets there, he pulls the damn breaker for the wash house.

STILL getting zapped, plus he's getting a backfeed voltage reading from the ground wire in the breaker box, which shouldn't have ANY power to it at all.

HMMM. He got voltage readings off a water pipe going into the wash house.

After him getting on the phone to a friend of his, and me getting on the phone to Sir, the general consensus was that somehow, we were getting current running through the galvanized piping into the wash house. So okay, no problem, we start pulling breakers and fuses.

With ALL power disconnected, there's STILL voltage going through the wash house.

Oooookaaaayyy.

Well, by bending back old sheet metal so none was touching the water pipes where they went into the wash house, we de-electrified the wash house skin. Didn't take care of the problem, however. So we needed to see if the house next door, my cousin's house (there's actually two houses there, and the front one that was my aunt's and now belongs to my cousin is being rented to a friend of his while he lives with his mom in the back house), where a water pipe still connects the two houses (don't ask, another long story) is the culprit.

They weren't home. So we had to wait until they got home so we could flip the main breaker.

Voila, the water pipe is no longer electrified. My dad's friend suggested it could be a short in their water heater...great theory. Except they have a gas water heater.

(The reason the houses were connected was because my grandmother and her sister lived next door to each other. My grandfather and her husband, my uncle, worked for the water plant just down the road. A water line ran close to the properties, and they had a line tapped into it. Uncle Johnny's house was connected to the line, and Granny and Grandaddy's house was connected inline through their house via a pipe, which worked out great last summer when lightning knocked out our well one day and we needed to get water. Years later, after my grandfather and uncle had retired, the water plant told them they'd have to pay to stay connected, so they said hell no, had wells installed, and the supply pipe from the main pipe was cut. But the pipe connecting both houses was still there, and my grandfather had a well installed on his property and a second line, connecting the well directly to the house, was installed.)

Okay, you still with me now?

So long story short (too late) it was after seven when my dad was finally able to isolate it was some sort of short from the other house electrifying the water pipe connecting our house to that house. So now we have to dig out around the old pipe valve and figure out how it's still connected to the house and cut that pipe so it gets rid of the problem...for us.

My cousin, however, still has to figure out where his electrical problem lays.

And that's why we didn't get to go out to eat for dinner, because by the time we got out of the house, all the local restaurants were packed. So we decided to go home after a stop by the liquor store, and we ordered pizza.

Which, as I write this, we're still waiting to be delivered.

How's your Valentine's Day? LOL

Adult Excerpt: "Love and Brimstone (Brimstone Vampires 1)"

http://www.bookstrand.com/love-and-brimstone

Blurb:

[Siren Classic: Erotic Paranormal Romance, vampires, HEA]

The soul always comes home…

Ice queen Anastazia “Taz” Proctor is an aloof attorney, a “fixer.” Hunky Matthias Hawthorne wants her for more than just an employee…much more. Will she believe him when he reveals their shared secret—that they’re vampires, but that it’s not the way Hollywood portrays them? Maybe not, but with someone out to kill her, she might not have a choice. She also can’t ignore what her body tells her about her handsome boss.

An escape with Matthias to the safe refuge of Yellowstone National Park leads Taz to discoveries about her lineage and what she can do with her newly awakened powers. Even more disturbing is her unexplainable attraction to Matthias’s handsome cousin, Rafael.

Time grows short as a traitor in their midst makes another attempt on Taz’s life. Will she and Matthias survive when they’re caught in a vicious showdown between Love and Brimstone?

Note: This book has been extensively revised. It was previously published with another publisher.

A Siren Erotic Romance

You can find all my Siren releases as Tymber Dalton, Lesli Richardson, Macy Largo, and Tessa Monroe on my Siren page at:

http://www.bookstrand.com/tymber-dalton

***

Adult Excerpt

“Hey,” he whispered. “You okay?”

She nodded, instinctively pressing herself against him. “That was intense.”

“Yes, it was.”

“Is that what it felt like when you started reading my thoughts?”

“I’ve been doing it a lot longer. Not just yours, but I can read yours easily because of…what you did for me.”

“You said you didn’t know if I could read minds.”

“I didn’t, not for sure. Not until tonight. After I realized how powerful you are, I assumed you could. I needed to see if you could do it without an established physical…connection.”

She rolled to face him, eyes closed. She kissed him, hoping he wouldn’t pull away.

He didn’t.

She thought about how warm his emotions had felt, knowing a lot of that was about her, his intense feelings. And she wanted him.

Really wanted him.

Pressing against him, she kissed him harder, moaning when his hands worked under her shirt to the waistband of her jeans.

She helped him remove his shirt while he parted her from hers, and they kissed, bare chested, exploring with lips and tongues, passion so strong both could barely breathe.

“I want you, Matthias,” she thought, trying not to make it a command. “I really, really want you.”

He smiled. “Anastazia, your wish is my command.”

They slipped out of their pants. She thought he would take her then, but he didn’t. Instead, he ran his hands over her body. He felt smooth and strong, and his fingers explored every contour and curve as if he’d known her his entire life.

She gasped when his tongue traced delicate circles across her belly. He trailed lower, working his lips down her flesh, his breath hot on her skin. He gently pushed her legs apart with his hands. Softly, he blew on her clit, making her whimper.

She wanted, needed him.

“Please,” she whispered. “Don’t stop.”

She felt the heat of his breath on her just before he flicked his tongue up and over her clit. She closed her eyes and moaned. This was better than she’d ever imagined it could be.

And she’d spent plenty of nights before all this happened imagining what Matthias Hawthorne might be like in bed.

He lazily circled her clit with his tongue, making her throb and sending a flood of heat to her mound. She wanted more from him. Needed more.

She didn’t care if he was reading her mind or not when he sucked her nub between his lips and lightly sucked. An explosion ripped all conscious thought from her. She plunged her fingers into his hair, holding on as he relentlessly drew her orgasm out, made it seemingly last forever.

When she couldn’t take it anymore, he rolled on top of her, teased her, kissed her. He pressed the head of his cock against her, not quite entering, and whispered in her ear, “Do you really want me to?”

“Yes,” she begged. “Please!”

He kissed her again. “I want you to taste me. I want you to have all of me.”

Her eyes flew open. “What?”

“Fair is fair,” he said, kissing her again.

Suddenly, she knew. As she closed her eyes and kissed him, she knew she was more powerful, even though he was older. She knew what he was offering.

And she wanted him—all of him.

Propped on one elbow, he used his other hand, gently guiding her. He tipped his head to the side, his lips near her ear, positioning her mouth against his neck for the best access. She felt his warm breath against her cheek. Between her legs his cock pressed so firmly, tantalizingly close, but not entering. She wanted him inside her, to become one with him. He resisted her attempts to thrust against him. He cupped the nape of her neck with his hand. She flicked out her tongue and lapped at his shoulder, enjoying the salty taste of his flesh.

“Just feel it,” he whispered. Then he thrust his cock hard and deep into her, drawing another moan from her. He felt so large, so hard inside her she bit down at the base of his neck where it gave way to his shoulder.

He pressed her mouth firmly against his neck as he gasped, “Harder,” and thrust again. She did, feeling his flesh give way beneath her teeth. She tasted him, and he moaned in her head as he thrust—

“Do it—oh, God, Taz, take it all from me, you don’t know how long I’ve wanted—”

—deep into her. Her head spinning, his blood tasted like warm, red wine. She wrapped her legs around his waist and dug her fingers into his back, trying to become one with him.

Release Day: "Love and Brimstone"

There's still a little time left to order my newest release, "Love and Brimstone," at a discount!

http://www.bookstrand.com/love-and-brimstone


The soul always comes home…

Ice queen Anastazia “Taz” Proctor is an aloof attorney, a “fixer.” Hunky Matthias Hawthorne wants her for more than just an employee…much more. Will she believe him when he reveals their shared secret—that they’re vampires, but that it’s not the way Hollywood portrays them? Maybe not, but with someone out to kill her, she might not have a choice. She also can’t ignore what her body tells her about her handsome boss.

An escape with Matthias to the safe refuge of Yellowstone National Park leads Taz to discoveries about her lineage and what she can do with her newly awakened powers. Even more disturbing is her unexplainable attraction to Matthias’s handsome cousin, Rafael.

Time grows short as a traitor in their midst makes another attempt on Taz’s life. Will she and Matthias survive when they’re caught in a vicious showdown between Love and Brimstone?

Note: This book has been extensively revised. It was previously published with another publisher.

A Siren Erotic Romance

Ka-BLAM! :)

Me (shooting) & range officer.

Well, my first time ever shooting skeet, we shot three rounds. The first was for practice, the second two scored and shooting with other friends of ours, one of whom was a champion of the sport in his younger years.

I out-shot Sir 14-13 (out of a possible 25) both rounds.

*big wide grin*

Not bad for a girl, huh? :) Everyone said we did great considering it was the first time we'd ever shot skeet before. One of my problems was trying not to stand like I was shooting a rifle. (I'm really good with a rifle and a handgun, but no experience with a shotgun.) I was shooting a loaner .20 over-under shotgun.

I. Am. Hooked. Sir and I both looked at each other with HUGE grins and I said, "So, when are we hitting a gun show?" LOL

Ahhh, I spent lots of wonderful weekend days at gun shows with my parents. I loved walking around and looking at all the stuff, even though half of it I didn't know what it was for (when I was a kid). I love guns. I don't hunt (don't like to hunt, even though I loved spearfishing), but I do love guns and target shooting. And now, skeet.

:)

Huh? Hmm.

Well, yesterday as I reported, I tipped the scales at 213.6.

When I got on the scale today (yes, I know I'm only supposed to weigh myself on my weigh-in day) I was at 210. Same time of day, nothing different.

Huh.

The only thing I can figure is because Hubby and I had date night last night, we went out to eat early before we saw a movie at 5 pm, so maybe eating early helped. I don't know, as long as it keeps sliding in that direction. That and the exercise I'm doing.

Worked out again today (by the way, if I forgot to mention it yesterday, I DESPISE exercise, which just goes to show how much I want to get this weight off and keep it off) and stopped by GNC on my way home and picked up a couple of extra supplements. My metabolism needs all the help it can get, believe me. I've been checked for thyroid issues before, but I'm going to ask the doctor to check again tomorrow when I go in for my check-up just to make sure.

Believe me, I'm NOT complaining about that scale number. I just hope it's not a fluke. I've been tracking my points online at WeightWatchers.com (I do online, not the meetings). Every time I start to mentally whine I think about my blue sticky notes on my wall. I'm looking forward to being able to change the number on the lower sticky note to a lower weight.

This afternoon, I get to go skeet shooting (almost wrote sheet skooting! LOL) with Sir and some friends. I've never been skeet shooting before, but it's something I've wanted to do for a long time. (I love guns, was raised with guns. I know, I'm a hippy liberal Pagan chick who believes in the 2nd amendment. So sue me. LOL) Hubby is NOT a gun fan and said, "Go have fun." LOL (That's why he's the World's Best Husband(TM).) So I'm trying to wrap up a few things I have to do this afternoon so I can go have fun. :)

Ugh.

I'm fat.

No, I'm not morbidly obese, but the past couple of months emotionally took a toll on me, and one way I coped with it was not going to the gym because I didn't "feel" like it, plus holiday foods were hard to resist.

Excuses, I know.

When I first started Weight Watchers, my original goal was 195 pounds. I did manage to get down as far as 192, but then my weight crept up again. I had a lot of excuses. With Annie in the hospital, then losing her, I wasn't feeling up to trying to take good care of myself. Weather, and emotions, triggered fibro flares.

Excuses.

Well, last week I started up at the gym again. And re-dedicated myself to getting back on track with my WW plan. I've started stocking healthy foods in the fridge again, and counting my points like I should. I've also stuck two sticky notes on the wall above my desk, where I have to see them every time I sit down at the computer.

No Excuses!

That one applies not only to my weight, but to work habits as well.

195

That's the goal weight I want to hit first. I am breaking it down into small chunks, as recommended by the WW site. 195 was my first goal, a 5-pound goal when I started, so time to aim for it again. Once I hit it, I'll readjust it downward by another five or so pounds. My final goal is 155, which is a good weight for my frame. (Although I'll easily settle for 165.) Right now, I'm 213.6 and 5'8". This is not a healthy weight for me. I am technically obese if you look at the charts. Not morbidly so, but because of my bone structure, I hide it reasonably well. It settles in my ass and thighs for the most part.

But since I do have a history of heart disease in my family on my maternal grandmother's side, I need to pay close attention to my health. My fibro makes it imperative I improve my physical condition. I also don't want to put myself at risk for diabetes or other health issues.

So today I'm facing the facts. I'm fat, and I don't like being this way. It's not even a cosmetic issue as much as it is I don't feel healthy. I'm carrying more than a huge bag of dry dog food on my frame, and I know how heavy one of those bastards are. I know I'll feel better all around physically by getting this weight off. Hubby managed to drop 25 pounds last year and feels a lot better for it. Sir is in pretty good shape, but He's now looking at some potential cardiac issues and He wants to drop some weight (and He, like me, hides it well).

So no more excuses. I will get healthy. I will do this.

195, here I come.

"Love and Brimstone" available for pre-order at a discount!

Woot! My latest release, "Love and Brimstone" (Brimstone Vampires 1) is now available for pre-order at a discounted price. So order sooner and save!


http://www.bookstrand.com/love-and-brimstone

Blurb:

[Siren Classic: Erotic Paranormal Romance, vampires, HEA]

The soul always comes home…

Ice queen Anastazia “Taz” Proctor is an aloof attorney, a “fixer.” Hunky Matthias Hawthorne wants her for more than just an employee…much more. Will she believe him when he reveals their shared secret—that they’re vampires, but that it’s not the way Hollywood portrays them? Maybe not, but with someone out to kill her, she might not have a choice. She also can’t ignore what her body tells her about her handsome boss.

An escape with Matthias to the safe refuge of Yellowstone National Park leads Taz to discoveries about her lineage and what she can do with her newly awakened powers. Even more disturbing is her unexplainable attraction to Matthias’s handsome cousin, Rafael.

Time grows short as a traitor in their midst makes another attempt on Taz’s life. Will she and Matthias survive when they’re caught in a vicious showdown between Love and Brimstone?

Note: This book has been extensively revised. It was previously published with another publisher.

A Siren Erotic Romance

You can find all my Siren releases as Tymber Dalton, Lesli Richardson, Macy Largo, and Tessa Monroe on my Siren page at:

http://www.bookstrand.com/tymber-dalton

BDSM tutorial on Kindle and nook.

If you didn't get my BDSM tutorial for writers (and for those who are curious about the lifestyle) the first time it was out, I've re-released it. It's available on Kindle and nook.


Blurb:

(NON-FICTION)

"Whip Me, Beat Me, Make Me Write Hot Sex: A writer's guide to BDSM basics...and for those who are curious." In this how-to guide for writers, bestselling erotica author Tymber Dalton shares information she's gathered in her first-hand research about the BDSM lifestyle. (Also good for people curious about the lifestyle.)

Learn the basics about relationship dynamics, toys, tools, terminology, and more. Includes style guide tips for writers and a handy list of references to start you on your research.

Content Warning: Non-fiction, contains subject matter and language of a sexual nature. May offend some readers.


http://www.amazon.com/Whip-Beat-Make-Write-ebook/dp/B00756ARIM/ref=ntt_at_ep_dpt_10

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/whip-me-beat-me-make-me-write-hot-sex-tymber-dalton/1105440220?ean=2940014092319

AND... if you want it in .pdf format, you can get it directly from my other website at:

http://madmumbler.org/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=2_6&products_id=1

Thanks!!

"Contractual Obligation" on Kindle!

Yay! My latest release, "Contractual Obligation," is now available on Kindle!

http://www.amazon.com/Contractual-Obligation-Publishing-Menage-ebook/dp/B0074AV5LW/

RWA strikes again. GLBT writers need not apply.

No, this isn't a dumbass move by the main RWA, it's by one of their chapters, who are closing a contest to GLBT stories. A contest previously open to GLBT stories.

That any national organization would not sanction one of their chapters for this kind of discrimination just goes to show how archaic and cliquish they are. (This is the same organization that for years refused to admit e-pubbed authors the same recognition of print autohrs.)

http://heidicullinan.wordpress.com/2012/02/03/rwa-shouldnt-be-in-the-business-of-discrimination/

This is the same sort of bullshit that caused me to not renew my membership several years ago. All I got for my money was a glossy magazine once a month and excuses why my indie pubbed writing wasn't as good as "traditionally" published writers.

Vote with your feet and your dollars. Boycott RWA.

Blessed Imbolc!

 Wishing everyone a Happy and Blessed Imbolc!

Namaste, bitches.

I'm in a snarky sort of mood. Not bad snarky, really. More good snarky. Snarky because I'm still finding it hard to believe we're (here in Florida) finally out from under a bombardment of political campaign ads touting the competition as Satan's spawn, only worse. And good because I received some really great news from my publisher, Siren-BookStrand.

Two of my books, "Out of the Darkness" and "Red Tide," are going to be published with Siren in April and May. Those of you who've been reading me for a while might recognize "Out of the Darkness" because it was previously released by another publisher and was the EPIC 2010 winner for horror. Unfortunately, the previous publisher had an arbitrary word count restriction, so I had to cut quite a bit from the manuscript. So I now have the ability to release the book the way I'd originally envisioned it, with the deleted scenes restored. AND, it should finally be available in print in a few months. :)

I'm also happy to announce that, for the foreseeable future, my Tymber Dalton fiction will be exclusively released by Siren-BookStrand. (I have some non-fiction I'm also going to release under my Tymber Dalton pen name.) I'm proud to be a Siren-BookStrand author, and very happy for this opportunity with them. They're a fantastic house, and I can't say enough good things about them.

And now I need to get my ass back to work. I have three sets of edits due back to them shortly, as well as I need to get back to work on finishing "Triple-Dog Dare," the fourth book in the Triple Trouble series.

Have a great day everyone! :)