Sudoku

I'm addicted to this game! Of course, I'm also new at it and have been doing just the very simplest puzzles so far, but am hoping to quickly increase my speed and technique.

Try it yourself at the interactive link below:

http://show.websudoku.com/

Happy Winter!

Yule, that moment of greatest darkness, when Earth and man alike seem to hold their breath in the quiet stillness, awaiting the rebirth of the Sun. Mother Nature rests from her labor, gaining strength again as the Wheel of the Year turns and the cycle of Life continues.

Welcome to Winter.

Wishing you a peaceful holiday season.

5 Things

Happy Holidays to you all!!

Things you may find me doing these days:
Sipping a non-fat Chai Tea Latte at Starbucks with my hubby.
Wii bowling with friends and family.
Texting my kids.
Dressing in layers for warmth.
Designing covers for my friend's Max Starr series.

New Toy!!!

Who doesn't love to get new stuff, right? As an e-published author, I figured it was about time I have an e-reader. But which one? I'll admit to salivating all over the iPad when it first came out, but really couldn't justify that purchase. Then my computer died last month (on the date of my book release, no less!) forcing the purchase of a new laptop. Honestly, though the iPad would be fun for some things, I couldn't even imagine typing on it full time.

I was really interested in the nook, but then decided to take a look at a relatively unknown called the Pandigital Novel. A side by side comparison had me leaning toward the Novel for one reason in particular: a browser. The After-Thanksgiving sales sealed the deal for me and I am now the proud owner of one of these little gizmos.

One thing that seemed pretty important was updating the firmware before using it, but that wasn't a big deal at all. I'm still in the figuring-it-all-out stage, though it's very cool having all my e-books stored in one place. I'll admit to printing out the e-books I purchase and -- holy crap! -- that can get costly. Plus sometimes I just want to refresh my memory with an awesome book from a favorite author and this makes it very easy to do just that.

I've also been reading the local newspapers more since I've gotten it. This doesn't really make much sense, because it's just their websites I'm accessing, just as I could while on the computer. But I didn't do that while on the computer.

Will I ever prefer the Novel over the paper and ink pages of a real book? Hell no. Though I'm not closing myself off to evolution and adaptation to a changing world. E-readers are playing a large role in how people satisfy their need for the the written word.

Do you have an e-reader? If yes, what do you love most about it? If no, are you planning to purchase one some day soon ... or maybe requesting a nicely wrapped gift under the tree later this month?

Hot and sweaty ...

I'm not sure where you live, but here in Michigan it's a cold, windy, and generally dreary time of the year. It seems like the perfect time to heat things up with a little flash fiction from last summer.

Make me sweat. When this theme came up for the Flash one Sunday, Callie and Matt jumped right into my farmer's daughter brain. It's a short little flash, but a fun scene anyway.

And the photo makes me feel all warm and cozy. [wink]

Callie took a long pull from the water jug before wiping the sweat dripping down her face, the bandana covering her red curls having reached saturation point. She listened to the steady rhythm of the hay elevator carrying the straw bales up to the loft where she had been working for the better part of two hours. She’d shed the long-sleeved work shirt in the first hour and the tank shirt she wore clung to every inch of skin it covered. Dust hung heavy in the air, sticking to the bare skin of her arms and face, clouding her eyes.

Matt scaled the side of the hay wagon, hanging onto the top rail and kicking down the bales so he could throw them onto the elevator. Shirtless, the sun beat down on his back, the waistband of his jeans dark and low-slung as it absorbed the sweat rolling down his chest and back. Swiping the equally soaked Stetson from his dark head, he wiped his forearm across his face.

He glanced up at the window as he jammed the hat back on. As hot as he was in the sun, the barn would be stifling for Callie. As if his thoughts conjured her, Callie appeared at the opening, her arms raised to peel the sticking strands of her hair and braid off her back and neck. Dark nipples beaded and clearly visible against the thin cotton clinging to her like a second skin.

“Shit…” he muttered, his mouth watering as his cock stirred with an agenda of its own.

What's on YOUR desktop?

I love sexy pictures. [shrug] Is this really surprising? Probably not. Nudes are wonderful. Stimulating. Nothing quite like the delicious curves and hard lines [grin] of the bare-naked human form. But what I find even more mouth-watering are the little hints and glimpses.

It's probably also obvious that these images provide inspiration as I write. Erotic romance generally includes lots and lots of toe-curling sex -- if you're lucky -- and visual aids are sometimes just the prompt needed to slip into the mood.

This is the desktop background on my laptop -- as well as the wallpaper on my phone! Her plump curves crushed against his solid chest. Her dominance to his submissive position. Skin to skin. The vulnerable line of his throat contrasted with his strength as he grips her leg. Mmm ... so many heart-skipping details.

So ... what's your background?

And speaking of images that make my heart skip a beat ... just a reminder, Hearts A Plenty is coming soon!! I am so thrilled to share the stories of love rediscovered in this sleepy little town.

Of course, while you're waiting for HaP, please come along with three friends as they find out just how far they'll go for love in Open Proposal ... available now.

5 Things

5 Things I'm into right now:

editing

fires in the backyard

photography

apple orchards

football

Inspired baking

Jared is one of the heroes of my upcoming release Hearts A Plenty and he also owns a restaurant in the little town of Awry. His lovely Claire happens to have a weakness for the delicious blueberry muffins that he bakes each morning. Hmm. I wonder if that's the real reason the residents of Awry are treated to these yummy baked goodies each day?

How about you? Do you find you go above and beyond sometimes to give the one you love that special morsel you know they crave?

Max Starr series by Jasmine Haynes

Jas is one of my very best friends and I am soooo thrilled to announce that her amazing Max Starr series is being released through Amazon.com! Dead to the Max is available now! This news alone is worthy of a blog post, but add to it the excitement of having my name included in the project as the cover artist ... well, damn!

Here is the link to Jas's page where she has all the information about this super hot, erotic, emotional rollercoaster ride of a series:  Max Starr

Congratulations again, Jas! And thank you so much for helping get my name out there. Too wild!