Dress Up Dress Down with Kryssie Fortune

Please join me in welcoming Kryssie Fortune, to tell us about the uniforms in her latest novel, Dominated by the Dragon. A 1960’s Solder Turned Ageless Dragon Shifter.

Like Captain America, Flynn, the hero in my latest novel – Dominated By The Dragon, got caught up in a top secret, military experiment. Rather than turn him into a superhero, it burned a dragon demon into his soul. He’s never aged, but he can’t put down roots, what with the mad scientists who want to vivisect him and all.

Before the experiment that changed him, he was a Captain in the 1960’s British army. The uniform was issued free of charge, but as an officer Flynn would have needed to buy his own belt, boots and cap.

His uniform consisted of a khaki jacket worn over a rough fabric shirt and a knitted tie. He’d wear that over straight legged khaki trousers that chafed his skin, combat boots – highly polished, and well broken in of course. Just look at the heavy stitching around the sole.

Proud to serve Queen and country, Flynn led a special squad. One that was occasionally called the freak show. The men in it were always that bit smarter, stronger and faster. That meant his peaked cap carried his unit’s ensignia – a Spartan helmet. They’d adopted it because the Spartan’s were the first super soldiers.

Noting else about his uniform, not even the spread of the jacket buttons or the design of his belt buckle showed people how special he and his men were.

His uniform epaulets showed his rank. The broad end was stitched to the shoulder then buttoned down at the narrow end. The three diamond shaped pips indicated his rank.

To become a captain, men usually had a minimum of five years’ service and a university degree. Flynn had neither, but as a natural leader, he commanded respect from “the other freaks like himself.”

He planned to train as a vet after he left the service. Instead the army turned him into an animal / demon hybrid and taught him how it felt to be on the wrong side of their vivisection experiments.

If you want to know more about Flynn and how his new life panned out, please check out my latest novel.

Buy links

Luminosity             http://luminositypublishing.com/product/dominated-by-the-dragon/

Amazon US               http://amzn.to/2agfoFI

All Romance           http://bit.ly/29ZkMei

Blurb

A former super soldier turned dragon demon must choose between his soul mate and saving the world from a nuclear winter.

The British army’s nuclear testing bonded a dragon into Flynn Hemsworth’s soul. Military scientists vivisected and tortured him until he escaped two years later. Although he’s never aged, he’s been alone and on the run for almost six decades. When he prevents a naked woman from being the prize lot in a coven’s slave auction, he realizes she has an unexplored submissive streak.

Hope Mathews—a sassy blonde with killer keyboard skills—is a strong independent woman. When Flynn prevents her being sold to a demon, she discovers she enjoys spankings and light bondage. Together Hope and Flynn must shut down a coven of black magicians, rescue kidnapped demons, and stop a black ops nuclear missile hitting the UK. Even if they manage all that, Hope’s the granddaughter of a billionaire while Flynn’s still on the run from the military who want to dissect him again. Can they find common ground and build a life together?

Reader Advisory: Contains explicit language, a virginal heroine who discovers she enjoys spanking and bondage. Add in some serious dragon demon loving, light the blue touch paper, stand back, and watch the sparks fly. PUBLISHER NOTE: Paranormal BDSM Romance – 63,094 words. BDSM, Exhibitionism, Orgies and Spanking.

Dress Up, Dress Down with Nicole Evelina

Please join me in welcoming multi-award-winning writer Nicole Evelina, as she presents to us the story of an unconventional woman, Victoria Woodhull. Victoria Woodhull – Clothing as Rebellion in late 19^th Century America

My latest historical fiction novel, Madame Presidentess, is about Victoria Woodhull, the first woman to run for President in the United States. Not only that, she was also the first woman to run a stock brokerage on Wall

Street (co-owned with her sister, Tennie), the first to testify before a sitting committee of Congress and one of the first to run a weekly newspaper (also with Tennie).

Given that, you may be wondering why clothes would matter in this novel. Well, Victoria was also what they called at the time a “sex radical” – that is, is she believed in the concept of Free Love. To her, the term meant that a marriage should begin when two people fell in love and end when they are no longer in love, without interference from the government. (It was difficult to get a divorce in 19^th century America; in many states, the only way you could do so was by proving adultery.)

It is likely that Victoria was introduced to the Free Love movement by her second husband, Col. James Blood. As a member, she wore her hair short (at least for the time), adopted a more masculine form of dress (without the bustles and corsets common at the time) in protest of the sexual inequality between men and women.

Her sister, Tennie, joined her in this movement. On the day they first opened their Wall Street brokerage, they purposefully adopted a more masculine outfits, wearing instead of corsets and bustles, deep blue jackets embroidered with rich velvet which were broad at the shoulders, but tapered to contoured curves at the waist, over matching skirts that reached only to the tops of their shoes. That, too, was a carefully planned statement, designed to draw attention and remind onlookers that while they were too modest to show their ankles like common whores, they also were no ordinary women. They wore no ruffles, jewelry or makeup that would define them as overtly feminine, choosing for their only accessories bow ties made of silk.

Another day, Victoria is said to have shown off an outfit she wanted to wear when she was President. She shocked her friends, at least one of whom was a reporter for the New York Sun, by changing into dark blue pants that ended at the knee and were buckled over light blue stockings. On the top she wore a dark blue tunic with a man’s collar and cravat. The following exchange is said to have taken place between her and the reporter.

“This,” Victoria declared, “is what I intend to wear in the streets of New York, and at my banking house on Broad Street.”

“Mrs. Woodhull, if you appear on the street in that dress, the police will arrest you,” the reporter replied.

“No, they won’t. When I am ready to make my appearance in this dress, no police will touch me.”

And as far as records show, she was right, though it’s uncertain if she ever appeared in that particular getup in public. Victoria did later find herself in jail, but the reason had nothing to do with her clothing and everything to do with her unwillingness to keep quiet in the face of injustice and coddle those in power.

By using what she wore as an expression of what she believed, Victoria was making a strong statement of non-conformity to her time. Even when she didn’t wear outfits that we overly aligned with the sex radicals, she preferred to avoid corsets and wore no jewelry, only a white rose at her throat, which would become her trademark.  So as you read Madame Presidentess, try not to picture her as a typical 19^th century woman. Her hair was short, her clothes unconventional and voice loud. She was not one to be silenced then and its time her name is in the history books now.

---

Madame Presidentess

Forty-eight years before women were granted the right to vote, one woman dared to run for President of the United States, yet her name has been virtually written out of the history books.

Rising from the shame of an abusive childhood, Victoria Woodhull, the daughter of a con-man and a religious zealot, vows to follow her destiny, one the spirits say will lead her out of poverty to “become ruler of her people.”

But the road to glory is far from easy. A nightmarish marriage teaches Victoria that women are stronger and deserve far more credit than society gives. Eschewing the conventions of her day, she strikes out on her own to improve herself and the lot of American women.

Over the next several years, she sets into motion plans that shatter the old boys club of Wall Street and defile even the sanctity of the halls of Congress. But it’s not just her ambition that threatens men of wealth and privilege; when she announces her candidacy for President in the 1872 election, they realize she may well usurp the power they’ve so long fought to protect.

Those who support her laud “Notorious Victoria” as a gifted spiritualist medium and healer, a talented financial mind, a fresh voice in the suffrage movement, and the radical idealist needed to move the nation forward. But those who dislike her see a dangerous force who is too willing to speak out when women are expected to be quiet. Ultimately, “Mrs. Satan’s” radical views on women’s rights, equality of the sexes, free love and the role of politics in private affairs collide with her tumultuous personal life to endanger all she has built and change how she is viewed by future generations.

This is the story of one woman who was ahead of her time – a woman who would make waves even in the 21^st century – but who dared to speak out and challenge the conventions of post-Civil War America, setting a precedent that is still followed by female politicians today.

 More about Nicole

Nicole Evelina is a multi-award-winning historical fiction and romantic comedy writer. Her most recent novel, Madame Presidentess, a historical novel about Victoria Woodhull, America's first female Presidential candidate, was the first place winner in the Women’s US History category of the 2015 Chaucer Awards for Historical Fiction.

Her debut novel, Daughter of Destiny, the first book of an Arthurian legend trilogy that tells Guinevere’s life story from her point of view, was named Book of the Year by Chanticleer Reviews, took the Grand Prize in the 2015 Chatelaine Awards for Women’s Fiction/Romance, won a Gold Medal in the fantasy category in the Next Generation Indie Book Awards and was short-listed for the Chaucer Award for Historical Fiction.  Been Searching for You, her contemporary romantic comedy, won the 2015 Romance Writers of America (RWA) Great Expectations and Golden Rose contests.

Nicole’s writing has appeared in The Huffington Post, Curve Magazine and numerous historical publications. She is one of only six authors who completed a week-long writing intensive taught by #1 New York Times bestselling author Deborah Harkness. As an armchair historian, Nicole researches her books extensively, consulting with biographers, historical societies and traveling to locations when possible. For example, she traveled to England twice to research the Guinevere’s Tale trilogy, where she consulted with internationally acclaimed author and historian Geoffrey Ashe, as well as Arthurian/Glastonbury expert Jaime George, the man who helped Marion Zimmer Bradley research The Mists of Avalon.

Nicole is a member of and book reviewer for The Historical Novel Society, and Sirens (a group supporting female fantasy authors), as well as a member of the Historical Writers of America, Women’s Fiction Writers Association, Romance Writers of America, the St. Louis Writer’s Guild, Women Writing the West, Broad Universe (promoting women in fantasy, science fiction and horror), Alliance of Independent Authors, the Independent Book Publishers Association and the Midwest Publisher’s Association.

Her website is http://nicoleevelina.com.

She can be reached online at:

• https://twitter.com/NicoleEvelina
• http://www.goodreads.com/nicoleevelina
• http://pinterest.com/nicoleevelina/
• https://www.facebook.com/nicoleevelinapage/
• http://instagram.com/nicoleevelina
• http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyi5-knSn0Abm5ujfpcHgbg/videos?view_as=public

Binge Watching #Stranger Things: A #Review

I never seem to have time to watch a show while it's playing in real time. Consequently, I occasionally fall victim to binge watching. My latest is the Netflix series, Stranger Things. I saw the trailers and meant to watch but—no surprise here—I forgot. That is, until my nephew connected with me to tell me his opinion. He said the acting is good, the cinematography and music are “leaps and bounds ahead of other shows”, and the story is so good each episode feels like a movie. Since we tend to like similar things, I knew I had to try it. I watched the first episode and was hooked. I didn’t stop until I’d devoured the entire season.

My nephew was right. It was a beautiful show with gorgeous camera work and music that set a mood so well it was as if I was in the scene with the characters. But reflecting on the experience, I think if I’d I watched one episode each week I may have gotten bored and wandered off like I have with so many other shows—Beauty and the Beast, Legends of Tomorrow, Haven, to name a few.

On the surface, Stranger Things seemed to have huge flaws. Too many one dimensional adult characters—the doctor, the government agents, the police, the ex-husband. Most of the acting was so over the top it verged on parody—including Winona Ryder, who I’ve respected for years.The teenage drama storyline would have been hard to watch if it had dominated any episode. And at various places I thought, “Oh they're redoing Species, or ET,” or now that I think about it, any number of sci-fi tropes we’ve seen hundreds of times.

Worse, some of the twists and turns were illogical. For instance, the main character, Mike Wheeler (played by Finn Wolfhard) turns on the young girl (the one he’s risking a lot to help) for protecting him. Who does that? Or poor Lucas (Caleb McLaughlin) a character so gratingly negative I kept wishing the monster would get him. Thankfully we had Dustin (Gaten Matarazzo) who was completely adorable and softened my reaction to the others.

Another clear bright spot in the show was young Eleven, played by Millie Bobbie Brown. Her expressive face (and acting chops that belie her age) made me care about her despite the plodding backstory that was explicitly designed to make her sympathetic. I also connected to Jonathan (Ryder’s oldest on, played perfectly by Charlie Heaton). These two, along with Gaten, are the reasons I watched episode after episode. I plan to watch the show again to figure out how they brought these young protagonists to life and what hooks kept me glued to my seat for eight hours.

Eight hours? Remind me to never admit that again.

Dress Up Dress Down with @JanaRichards_ #MFRWAuthor #romance

Please join me in welcoming Jana Richards to the Living After Midnight blog! Jana, so glad to meet you! Tell us about your book, ONE MORE SECOND CHANCE. ***********

My heroine,Julia Stewart in my contemporary romance, is a high school principal. Most of the time she doesn’t think much about her clothes. Her work uniform is “business casual”; not quite jeans but not expensive dress clothes either. As a single mother, she doesn’t have a lot of money to spend on her wardrobe, even if she did have time to shop. Away from work, she wears jeans, t-shirts, shorts, and occasionally her softball uniform.

But there are occasions when she has to dress to impress. In this scene, Julia is attending a town meeting which has been called to discuss her proposal to include a day care for the children of students at the high school. After facing some controversy, she’s trying to convince townspeople of the merits of her idea. She’s also trying to convince them that she’s still the best person to teach their children and head the high school:

On the evening of the public meeting, Julia dressed carefully, selecting a conservative gray suit, a buttoned-down white blouse, and modest black heels. She kept her makeup to a minimum and her hair in a simple low ponytail, going for a look she hoped projected professionalism and respectability.

But Julia’s wardrobe isn’t all bland. In this scene, my hero Alex Campbell describes her appearance:

The word “pretty” hardly expressed how Julia looked tonight. Gorgeous, sexy, delicious, sprang immediately to mind. Her pale blonde hair gleamed under the stage lights. She wore a sleeveless blue and white print dress that hugged her curves and ended several inches above her knees to show off shapely, toned legs. High-heeled sandals accentuated her well-formed calves. For a petite woman, she had legs that went on for miles.

Julia Stewart is like many working mothers – busy, and dedicated to her family, her job and her community. Her wardrobe is often an afterthought. But when the occasion requires, she can use her clothing to portray the image she wishes to project.

I’m currently giving away a print copy of ONE MORE SECOND CHANCE at Goodreads. For your chance to win, please enter my contest here.

I’m also participating in The Wild Rose Press authors Summer Treats Blog Hop. There are many prizes to be won. Please stop by!

Excerpt from ONE MORE SECOND CHANCE:

Alex warmed the teapot with a bit of water from the kettle, swirling it for a moment before emptying it in the sink. Then he placed a couple of spoonfuls of loose tea into the pot and filled it with hot water, letting it steep while he brought teacups and milk and sugar to the table. Julia was comforted by the little ritual that reminded her so much of her grandmother and her mother. After bringing the teapot to the table, along with a strainer to catch the loose tea, he sat across from Julia. “Tell me what happened with your parents.” He poured her tea, and Julia wrapped her hands around the cup, savoring the warmth. “My mother remembered nothing about talking to you or being outside in the middle of the night, and my father said she was sleepwalking. When I tried to tell him that we should take Mom to have her checked by a doctor, he became very agitated, so I dropped it. I was afraid he was going to get sick again. I don’t know what to do.” “I’m no expert in this area either, but I understand it’s not unusual for a spouse of an Alzheimer’s patient to deny the symptoms. I’ll talk to the hospital social worker tomorrow and have her get in touch with you. Maybe she’s got some ideas.” “Okay.” Relief flowed through her. At least she wouldn’t have to face this problem on her own. They drank their tea in silence, but the silence didn’t feel awkward. Julia felt soothed, the stress slowly leaving her body. Perhaps her grandmother had been onto something. The tea seemed to be working. She finished the last of it and set down the cup. “I should be going. I left Ava with Tracy, and she’s probably hungry by now.” Julia got to her feet and headed to the front door, with Alex following her. “Thanks for the tea, and for listening. I guess I needed both today.” “Anytime. Seriously, Julia, anytime you need to talk, about anything, give me a call.” She wondered if he was speaking as a doctor, as a friend, or as a man. Which one did she want him to be? “Thank you.” “I’ll try to keep an eye out for your folks, see if there’s anything I can do for them.” She was touched by his offer. “I really appreciate that, but I know how busy you are.” He waved away her concern. “It’s no big deal. I appreciate my grandmother’s neighbors checking in on her, and I’d be happy to do the same.” He really did understand how she felt. “In that case, thank you.” She opened the front door and stepped outside. Turning to Alex, she smiled. His thick hair had begun to dry, and the dark strands gleamed in the spring sunshine. Her breath caught in her throat at his beauty. “Bye, Alex.” “Bye. Take care.” Julia hurried down the steps and across the lawn to her car. An appreciation for his looks was as far she could take any relationship with him. Her life was too complicated, too full already. And she would never get involved with a man who planned to leave Lobster Cove in only a few more months.

Jana Richards’ Bio:

When Jana Richards read her first romance novel, she immediately knew two things: she had to commit the stories running through her head to paper, and they had to end with a happily ever after. She also knew she’d found what she was meant to do. Since then she’s never met a romance genre she didn’t like. She writes contemporary romance, romantic suspense, and historical romance set in World War Two, in lengths ranging from short story to full length novel. Just for fun, she throws in generous helpings of humor, and the occasional dash of the paranormal. Her paranormal romantic suspense “Seeing Things” was a 2008 EPPIE finalist.

In her life away from writing, Jana is an accountant/admin assistant, a mother to two grown daughters, and a wife to her husband Warren. She enjoys golf, yoga, movies, concerts, travel and reading, not necessarily in that order. She and her husband live in Winnipeg, Canada with their Pug/Terrier cross Lou and several unnamed goldfish. She loves to hear from readers and can be reached through her website at www.janarichards.com

Social Media Links:

Website: http://www.janarichards.com Blog: http://janarichards.blogspot.com Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/JanaRichardsAuthor Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/JanaRichards_ Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/author/janarichards Amazon UK Author Page: http://www.amazon.co.uk/-/e/B002DEVWWG Newsletter Signup: http://www.eepurl.com/m3UnT Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2892274Jana_Richards Google+ Profile: https://plus.google.com/100820406211390323245

Dress Up, Dress Down Featuring Guest Author, Adam Mann #MFRWAuthor

Please join me in welcoming Adam Mann to Living After Midnight. Mike, tell us about the attire of folks in your book BODY HEAT-Naked and Afraid. ***Due to internet issues, this Friday Feature was delayed until today. ***

*************************************

There is nothing that you can elaborate when you're naked!  You can't hide any blemishes or scars, but in this story neither participant is concerned as they quickly get used to seeing one another wearing absolutely nothing.  There may be an inherent fear when you're not dressed, which is really irrelevant, fear of what?  The original TV program is called Naked & Afraid, but afraid of what?

BODY HEAT:

Jennifer and Charles team up to start their own 21 day wilderness programme, without clothes, food or drink, or a TV sponsored back-up team.  They choose a remote area, and as complete strangers they only meet a day before the adventure starts!  Watch the sparks begin to fly, not from the fires they light, but from the passion that somehow ignites between them.

Excerpt:

The reply from Charles startled her:

Jennifer, could you please arrange to take four weeks off, preferably next month, and tell me the dates so that I can arrange to travel.

I’ll fly to Bangkok, but I don’t think that we should meet there. Make your own way to Nan, and I’ll suppose we’ll have to meet there and travel to the site together.

I’ll hire a small car in Nan so that we can leave our clothes and possessions in it until the end of the twenty-one days, unless you have a better suggestion.

That means we’ll organize our own drop point and our pick up point ourselves, again your comments would be most welcome.

We have to cheat a bit, as we need some maps.

Please tell me what you think we should each take.

Jennifer was amazed at her own compliance with Charles’s suggestions. This sort of adventure holiday was just what she had wanted to do for years, but at this stage she had overlooked the lack of clothing factor!

At her office the next day, she completed the form for annual leave, and her boss signed it without reading it. She filed it with the Personnel department. They did not read it either before they filed it.

Her email back to Charles amazed both of them:

Four weeks leave starting1st November.

I’d like to meet you in Bangkok, so that we can recognize one another.

Car hire good idea, but my family may have a better suggestion.

I’ll buy a sharp machete, with a saw-tooth back, locally made are good.

Please bring the fire lighting equipment yourself.

I’ve got some local maps, which are a bit out of date.

I look forward to meeting you,

Jennifer.

Jennifer typed: I’ve got two locally made hessian bags.

More about Adam Mann:

Adam Mann has written twenty four romance books all based in those parts of the world where he has lived and worked.  As a result five are in sub-Saharan Africa, eleven are in South or East Asia, and only seven based in the UK or Europe.

Adam has been married four times, his first wife died, the second divorced him, the third marriage was annulled as that wife had forgotten to get divorced, and the fourth wife is fit and well.  They have between them seven children and four grandchildren.  As a result Adam thinks he knows a bit about life and loving.

Adam has lived and worked in Vietnam since 1997, where he lives in a provincial city with his wife, and has constant stream of visitors from the families of their seven adult children.

https://www.amazon.com/author/adammannauthor.com

https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/adammannauthor.com

@adammannauthor

www.adammannauthor.com

Published by Phaze Books

Everything copyright Adam Mann.

The Setting Thesaurus Books Are Here!

As a reader I’m one of those people who skip ahead when I see long sections of description of anything—setting, sex, fights---because I find most to be boring and/or repetitive. As a writer sitting down to pen my first novel, HOUSE OF THE RISING SON, I struggled with description because I didn’t want MY scenes to be boring and/or repetitive. I found myself falling back on my favorite words and style. I also tried to find just the right nuances for the feelings that my characters experienced. I was thrilled to discover the first editions of the thesaurus series by Angela Ackerman, and Becca Puglisi. I found myself referring to these books over and over to help add variety to my work. I credited The Emotion Thesaurus: A Writer's Guide to Character Expression with helping me to bring my characters to life. I'd hope there would be more from these amazing writers.

Well, there's some good news on this front. Two new books have released this week that may change the description game for writers. The Urban Setting Thesaurus: A Writer's Guide to City Spaces and The Rural Setting Thesaurus: A Writer's Guide to Personal and Natural Spaces look at the sights, smells, tastes, textures, and sounds that a character might experience within 225 different contemporary settings. And this is only the start of what these books offer writers.

In fact, swing by and check out this hidden entry from the Urban Setting Thesaurus: Antiques Shop.

And there's one more thing you might want to know more about....

Becca and Angela, authors of The Emotion Thesaurus, are celebrating their double release with a fun event going on from June 13-20th called ROCK THE VAULT. At the heart of Writers Helping Writers is a tremendous vault, and these two ladies have been hoarding prizes of epic writerly proportions.

A safe full of prizes, ripe for the taking...if the writing community can work together to unlock it, of course.

Ready to do your part? Stop by Writers Helping Writers to find out more!

Grumpy is an Understatement

My day jobs are often stressful. Periodically, they can become exceptionally stressful and if it happens in both jobs at once I'm on the edge. This has been one of those months. However bad I think I have it, it's nothing compared to what my partner experiences having to deal with me on a daily basis. Besides all of the above, I'm moody and emotional. Dancing with the Stars makes me cry. Commercials bring tears to my eyes. I've been known to completely break down over an episode of Supernatural. There are days I crawl into my head, contemplating the fate of the universe--or of our mudroom. Add the sudden, unexpected death of Prince and the GrumpymoodOmeter ratchets up to 12 on a 10 point scale.

Last night I apologized for a dozen ways I've been a grump, and told her I'm grateful for the sun she shines into my life. She smiled and said that all of the things I apologized for are the reasons she cherishes me. She reminded me I've said the same to her from time to time, and, in truth, what we both are is human and loved.

Maybe grumpy is an overstatement after all.

It Was Always Love

A wall in my bedroom

I'm a writer. There has always been something cathartic in telling a story. So in the midst of incredible sadness I am sharing my story with you.

My partner says that she went to the movies with a friend one day to see whatever show happened to be playing and ended up seeing Purple Rain, a movie that changed her forever. From that moment on she was obsessed--still is--and thanks Prince for much of the joy she's had in her life.

My path was not as direct. He had to touch my life three times before I listened.

1979

Thank you for a funky time, call me  up...

On my way to high school driving the first of two cars given to me by my father, the song I Wanna Be Your Lover came on. The music was okay, but the lyrics made my head spin. Chock full of double entendres (I wanna be the only one to make you come...running), I couldn't get it out of my head for days. But trying to balance my perfectionist compulsion with wanting to fit in with my peers had turned high school into a three year long hurricane for me. I had a hard enough time holding on to my shit--I couldn't add one more thing to my burden.

1984

Somebody please tell me what the hell is wrong

The second time I became aware of Prince was when Purple Rain came out. I was newly married and in an unfamiliar place with no friends. I don't have memory of going to or being in the theater (my memory often fails me when it comes to very emotional moments), but I remember  buying a beta max copy of the movie as soon as it came out. I coveted that fat short rectangular box (I still have it), but for reasons I can't explain, I never watched it.

The third time, as they say, was the charm.

1987

In my darkest hour, you can be my bliss

I took a job two hours away from my home and my husband and lived with my mother. I had a great time. I loved my job, had some adventures with my mom (like driving 45 minutes to buy a pizza that boasted cheese UNDER the sauce, not over it), and spent time with my sister and brother and their families. Moreover, every other weekend I honeymooned with my husband. Life moved along pretty smoothly.

Except at night. I started having nightmares. At first they came infrequently, and I barely remembered them. As time went on they grew more frequent and more horrifying. Eventually I had bad dreams every night. There seemed to be two themes--black roses and elevators. Black rose dreams woke me up crying.  Elevator dreams were worse.

I know now that I was reliving sexual abuse I'd experienced as a child. I was in the same room, largely unchanged--the purple walls I'd begged for, music and academic awards (evidence of my hyper-vigilent perfection), and the bed. The bed.

Any time I was alone with my thoughts I thought about dying. What death would feel like. All the years of my nephews and nieces lives that I'd miss. Pieces of my nightmares started to come to me during the day. I searched continually for distractions, trying to save myself. One day I saw an ad in the newspaper about an upcoming Prince concert. I remembered his movie and that song, and how they made me feel. I really wanted to go, but not alone. My sister told me her husband was a big fan (her, not so much) and that he'd probably go with me if I had my heart set. He did.

October 1988

Do you want him, or do you want me?

We had tickets in the Nosebleed Section because we'd gotten them so late, but it didn't matter. The entire arena was filled by the presence of the little, ethereally beautiful man on the stage. I was captivated--couldn't take my eyes off of him. But the music transformed me. He sang of love and sensuality and peace and God and sex. His voice resonated, reverberated throughout my body. I sometimes make a joke, saying if he'd asked me that night for all of my worldly possessions I would have given them to him. But it was the truth.

The next day I went to every record store I could find and bought every tape Prince had ever released. I drove around for hours listening to his music. He didn't become "the soundtrack of my life". He became my reason to keep living.

1991

I want to jump for joy and thank him I'm not alone

I'd gotten a bigger and better job and moved back with my husband. While stalking a record store (my new hobby), I came across Prince's official fan magazine, Controversy. Not only was it heaven on the page with big, color, never before seen pictures of him, but it had a pen pal section. Suddenly, I wasn't alone. I'd found my tribe--men and women who experienced Prince the way I did.  Miraculously, the first person I connected with became my partner. I like to say Prince gave her to me.

Present day

Can't begin to understand how I feel about you, everything I want to do I can't do without you

My life is filled with good friends who I connect with over songs and youtube clips, through marriages and divorce, through children and grandchildren, over the mountains that life put in front of our best efforts and under the bridges that we've fallen from. When we're happy, we listen to his music and watch his movies. When we're sad, we do the same. Since his passing, we cling to each other and assure ourselves we'll get through this, and that we'll find joy again.

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I've seen Prince in concert over one hundred times. I have every song he's released, and sometimes multiple versions thereof. My partner and I celebrate his milestones--birthdays, awards, performances. Our annual Super Bowl parties celebrate his 2007 award-winning appearance. Many of our milestones are commemorated with concerts that hold special meaning. There is not one room in our home in which he's not evident, either in fact or by influence. (We're still trying to figure out how to put the Shower Poster in the bathroom.)

My friends and I are asking questions of ourselves and each other. Where do we go from  here? Who will we be, if not Prince Fans? How will it feel to not look forward to his next album, the next concert, the next TV appearance?

The only answer is that his music is a part of us. It's in our cells and are the songs in the background of everything. Our experiences with him and because of him live on.

• Getting his autograph in NYC and almost fainting because we thought he'd levitated, a tiny angel dressed in white.
• Nearly being "rear-ended" by him in MPLS because he was driving too fast and we were going too slow.
• Hearing gunshot and fearing for our lives as we left Glam Slam, his former club.
• Flying to England for concerts and spending a sleepless night at the only after show I've attended.
• Going to his store in MPLS so many times the manager told his staff "Play whatever videos they want to see".
• Grieving with him, from a distance, when he lost his child.
• Meeting our pen pals. (LOVE YOU ALL)
• Standing outside at 2am in line for a show, with some of the craziest and friendliest people we've ever met.

Never say the words "They're gone"

The world is off its axis. I already miss him. My heart aches, and in quiet moments it's hard to breathe. I'm not ready to watch all of the tributes. I can't even listen to his songs without overwhelming sadness. But I'm ready, finally, to say a few things to him.

Dearest Prince,

I am ever grateful for the beautiful ways you've touched (saved) my life and for all of the people that are in it because of you. I'm thankful for your music which fuels my soul. 

There was no way you could have known, but it was always love. I've been blessed to have shared the planet with you.

I wish you heaven. 

The Devil Made Me: A Review

Lucifer has stolen my heart. That’s not a statement you hear every day. And I haven’t always felt this way. I try to watch at least the first episode of all new programs that have a supernatural element. Finding them on TV isn’t always easy but On Demand helps.

And not all get second views.

Lucifer almost did not get that second view. The show started out too predictable with the trope I hate…two men vying for the attention of the single woman. Early in the program I had told my partner that I didn’t think this was going to be a keeper.

I am not sure exactly when my opinion changed. Maybe it was to his loyalty to his friend Delilah? Maybe it was Maze? More likely it was his interaction with Linda. I love hearing the secret desires of these characters and his determination to see the bad people punished. His brazen behavior became humorous and his smarmy smile became endearing.

I’ve read that certain groups have tried to have the show cancelled and when it didn’t air one Monday night, I was afraid they had succeeded. After a bit of research I learned that the show was bought by HULU, which I do not get. So, I lost my On Demand option. But for now at least I have a reason to look forward to Monday night television  again

DRESS UP/DRESS DOWN WITH MARCIA JAMES

It's my pleasure to welcome Marcia James to the Living After Midnight Blog, to tell us about the meaningful attire worn in her novella, "Nothing But a Hound Dog."

ADOPT, DON'T SHOP: My Characters Proudly Wear Their Convictions

Cindi Landon, the heroine of my novella, "Nothing But a Hound Dog," is the director of the animal shelter in Jenkins, a small North Carolina town. As a hands-on, pro-animal advocate, she works alongside her staff. That means dressing in jeans and shelter t-shirts. One day, she might be working with dogs rescued from a hoarding situation. The next day, she might be meeting with families looking to find the perfect pet. There's nothing she likes more than to rescue and then place a homeless pet in its forever home.

After a night of raucous partying following a rodeo and concert in Jenkins, country music bad boy (and the hero of my novella), Ryan "Rowdy"Gates, is sentenced to community service at the shelter. Like the rest of the staff and volunteers, he wears jeans and shelter t-shirts while he helps out—whether it's cleaning dog runs or bottle-feeding an abandoned Basset Hound puppy he names Buddy. The shelter t-shirts sport different pro-adoption slogans, which start out as abstract concepts to Ryan, then become his conviction after he witnesses pets living on the streets or being surrendered to the shelter.

While researching my novella (which is the third in my "Klein's K-9s Service Dog" series and currently featured in the Love Notes ebook box set), I found quite a few wonderful, pro-adoption slogans, including, "Rescue: It's Not Just a Verb. It's a Promise."; "Paws to Love a Rescue Pet."; and "The Best Things in Life are Rescued." Being pro-adoption myself, I was happy to include many of the slogans in my novella. In fact, I have rescue dogs, cats, and the occasional pot-bellied pig in all of my books. These fictional pets add so much to the plot and reveal in my two-legged characters a love for animals that makes readers root for them to find their happily ever after.

Of course, "Nothing But a Hound Dog" has a happy ending, with Cindi offering Ryan something he's never had—a home, a family, and unconditional love. And, of course, they adopt Buddy the Basset Hound.

"Nothing But a Hound Dog" Excerpt:

When the puppy was sleeping soundly, Shauna, the shelter's volunteer supervisor, stood to go. "Why don't you stay here and hold him, so he'll know he's not alone. The best thing for this little boy is food and sleep. And while you're sitting here, think of a name for him." Shauna left, heading down the hall toward the dog runs.

Ryan looked at the puppy. Somehow the usual dog names—Spot, Rover, and the like—didn't seem right. So he gently rocked the puppy while he considered other names. He began to hum, something he often did when working out a problem. Then he started softly singing the song Elvis had made famous, "Hound Dog."

The puppy had been twitching, as though having a bad dream, but he settled down when he heard the song. Obviously, he had good taste in music. Ryan smiled. He could name the puppy Elvis, but it didn't seem to fit.

Ryan segued into Buddy Holly's "Everyday," a personal favorite. The little guy's mouth opened in a doggie grin. Maybe he should name him after the singer?

He stopped singing and said, "Buddy."

The puppy's ears twitched. Each time he said the name, he got the same reaction. So it was settled. Ryan christened him Buddy the Basset Hound.

Cindi stood in the clinic doorway, watching Ryan sing softly to the poor little thing. It was so poignant that her heart swelled and tears pricked her eyes. The tough kid from high school had grown into an admirable man who could gently rock a puppy and—according to what Shauna had told her—befriend and feed Andy, a troubled teenager who volunteered at the shelter.

God help her, she might be falling in love with Ryan.

She doubted he would appreciate her getting misty-eyed over him, so she simply listened until she got her emotions under control. He was singing the Buddy Holly song, "Words of Love." Cindi was a sucker for 1950s' pop music, so she joined in.

Startled by her voice, Ryan stopped and blushed, actually blushed. "Uh, the puppy settles down when I sing to him."

"He must be a fan of oldies, like me." She sat next to Ryan and gazed at the puppy. "He looks better already. Did he eat yet?"

"I bottle-fed him with Shauna's help. And I named him Buddy."

Buddy. It was perfect for the little pup. Suddenly, she remembered why she was there and stood again. "Speaking of eating, I came to get you. Your massive order from the Asian fusion place on Main has arrived. If you want any before the shelter hordes scarf it down, you better come with me."

Holding the puppy in a towel, Ryan got up from the chair without disturbing the Basset Hound's sleep. "I need to take Buddy with me. Shauna says he can hear my heart."

A warmth spread through her chest, and Cindi turned to the doorway before her face revealed what she was feeling. She was a sucker for a man who cared for animals.

Buy links for "Nothing But a Hound Dog" in the Love Notes box set:

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1SFYWOA

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1PvSMdq Amazon CA: http://amzn.to/1ZWZ151 Amazon AU: http://bit.ly/1RHjuWX Itunes: http://apple.co/1nhJc7p B&N: http://bit.ly/1TdXXom Kobo: http://bit.ly/1Sa9pAr

Author Bio & Links:

Marcia James finaled in eleven Romance Writers of America contests before selling her first contemporary romance. Her releases include Sex & the Single Therapist (the first in a comic romantic mystery series) and the "Klein's K-9s Service Dogs" contemporary romance series. She is a national and international ebook bestseller, who writes hot, humorous romances featuring heroines you can root for, heroes to die for, and funny dogs.

In her eclectic career, Marcia has shot submarine training videos, organized celebrity-filled nonprofit events and had her wedding covered by People Magazine. After years of dealing with such sexy topics as how to safely install traffic lights, she is enjoying “researching” and plotting her novels' steamy love scenes with her husband and hero of many years.

Website: www.MarciaJames.net

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MarciaJamesAuthor

Twitter: http://twitter.com/Marcia_James

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/marciajames/

Amazon Author Central page: www.amazon.com/author/marciajames

#Supernatural: Unforgettable

After watching Supernatural last night, I realized there will be a fissure in my world when the show ends. The Winchester boys are fully developed characters with hearts and souls that bring them alive on the screen. Their lives and their stories connect with viewers, and although we all know they are fictional characters, we cry for them, cheer for them, grieve with them.

A writer's dream, by the way. I often wonder if any one connected with Chey and Zander so deeply. Years from now (and hopefully with a few more of their stories in the world), will anyone remember them the way the Winchesters will undoubtedly be remembered?

Last night, the deaths of both men were foreshadowed. First Dean thought Sam died. In order to try to save him, he overdosed on stolen drugs to have a chance at making a deal with a Reaper. In the process, he nearly died. Thankfully you don't get more resilient or bad-ass than the Winchester brothers. They both survived against harrowing odds--even managing to kill three werewolves in the process. A rush of relief came first, then the usual smile at their hard-won victory.

For a brief moment in time, however, we glimpsed three possible futures. Sam, dead. Dean, dead. Both brothers gone. It was...devastating. Is that how the show will end? Hard to say. As Jensen Ackles offered in an interview, it's either going to end tragically or not tragically. For me, no matter how it ends, it's going to be gut-wrenching.

And unforgettable.

#teamdean #supernaturalforever

Dress Up/Dress Down with Clare Dargin!

Join me in welcoming Clare Dargin for Dress up, Dress Down Friday! ~~~~~~~~

Utility Yet Casual Is The Name Of The Game For My Shifters

Samantha Dixon, the heroine in my shifter Romance Wolf's Blade prefers to rough it. Because she lives in a cabin outside of town, she spends most of the time on her own or gathering supplies. She prefers old tee-shirts, jeans and occasionally her late husbands plaid shirt. Not only is it comfortable it reminds her and it still has the scent of her late husband. She loves his scent until she meets the hero.

Callum Blake is the son of the alpha of his pack. Only minutes younger than his twin brother, Callum is passed over for the position of the new leader for the pack in favor of his older twin. Still he holds an important position in pack- lead enforcer. The enforcers in his pack are called Paladins and he is the head guy. Luckily for him, he's not called to wear suits because he's not the type to like wearing them. And he goes even more casual when he goes after a member of his pack who killed and stole a knife that if used right will summon the wolf goddess who is the only one that can crown the king of all wolf kind.

For Callum, the most comfortable thing to wear in pursuit of this villain is jeans, dark boots and a black hoodie and leather jacket. The layers provide warmth in bad weather and ease of movement when he has to fight. He's a practical man not given to fancy things and therefore doesn't want fancy threads!

Considering their taste in clothes, they are a perfect match! Of course having the right scent and being gorgeous helps too! Though there are wardrobe changes, their simmering romance heats things up despite the cool temperatures around them!

About Wolf's Blade

Blurb:

Samantha Dixon rescues a wounded wolf shifter in the woods near her home … and unwittingly gets drawn into a dangerous game of cat and mouse with a murderer. Callum Blake is on the trail of an evil man who would be king of all wolf kind, no matter the cost … it’s up to Callum to stop him. How can Callum fulfill his duty to protect his pack and save the woman who is destined to be his mate?

Excerpt

“Samantha Dixon. What’s yours?”

“Callum Blake.”

He concentrated on Samantha. He’d never seen a woman as gorgeous as she. Her howl stated she was in search of mate, but surely a woman as beautiful as she would have suitors falling over themselves to have her. No male wolf in his right mind would pass up someone like her.

“Have you been mated before?” he asked in a subtle attempt to find out about her past or present relationship. All he wanted to really know was if he had competition.

“I was but he died,” she said softly. “A casualty of the war between us and a neighboring pack.”

She bit her lip and wiped the corners of her eyes.

“I’m sorry for your loss.” His heart went out for her. Losing someone you love was rough and for it to be a mate made it even harder. Shifters when they mated were bound together by a special bond, and when it broke because of the other’s death it was like losing half of their soul. He never had that type of connection before, still, he could imagine the type of pain such a loss would inflict on the surviving mate.

She stood and began to straighten up the bed. “Not half as sorry as I am.”

“I don’t understand,” he said.

“If you don’t mind, I’d rather not talk about it.”

“Please forgive my intrusion. I’m just trying to express my gratitude.”

She smiled weakly. “I know. I’m sorry if I sounded snippy. It’s just that things have been rough lately and I’ve been stressed.” She waved her hand as she turned to leave. “That’s not important right now. You need to get well.”

“Please don’t go.” Just having her near soothed him. She was cute, feminine, and wore a timid expression that hinted at the suffering she had endured. Even though he had only known her for a short time, he already wanted to be her shield, protecting her from any harm that would come her way. He wanted to hold her in his arms and feel her body against his. Something in her challenged him to be more than just a warrior. Ever since her howl in the night, his soul had been on fire for her.

Buy Links-

Amazon- http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B019VS3IZK?redirect=true&ref_=s9_simh_gw_g351_i1_r

Liquid Silver Books- http://www.lsbooks.com/wolfs-blade-p1090.php

Author Bio

Clare Dargin is a multi-published romance author. She has written for several publishers in different genres, including erotic romance, military romance, contemporary, paranormal, and sci-fi. She lives in the mid-west, and when not surfing the web, she is hard at work writing her next romance novel. You can find her on Facebook, Twitter, Google Plus, and Amazon.

Web Links-

Clare's Blog 2 The Haven- http://claresblog2thehaven.blogspot.com

The Embraced: Scribal Love- http://theembraced.blogspot.com

Facebook- www.facebook.com/clare.dargin

Twitter- www.twitter.com/clare_dargin

 Google + https://plus.google.com/u/0/113201930657713285351/posts/p/pub

 Author Page:

http://www.bookstrand.com/clare-dargin

Enter the Smexy Romance Blog Tour and Giveaway For a Chance to win Two Prizes!

 

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-Clare Dargin