Lots of snow here in New England. So far, about a foot has fallen.
Usually, I’d be quite upset. Snow is fun and beautiful to look at but driving in it is awful. Shoveling is hazardous to your health.
Today, however, I’m celebrating the return of winter. I’m grateful it’s no longer eerily warm. Fifty degrees in January was crazy.
I know it won’t last. Meteorologists are saying it will be near fifty again by the end of the month. But for today, it’s really cold. And I’m happy about that.
The guys that put in my furnace a few years ago just pulled out of my driveway. It was time for a tune up. I trust the company, which I need to since I do whatever they tell me to do. One of the things I learned all on my own is if you let things get bad, they will only get worse. So I try not to let tings get bad. I remember when I bought my first house. “Congratulations!” they said. “It will feel good to not pay rent on someone else’s property.” Not one person told me signing on the dotted line was only the beginning.
So many things I did not know. Like you really should check the grading of your yard. My first house may as well have been a boat with as much water flowed from my backyard to my basement. If I had checked for watermarks in the basement BEFORE I bought the house. I also didn’t know th at the second the house is yours, things start to break. Deck stairs wobbling? Check. Water heater dies? Check. Aging pipes? Check. Squirrels in the attic? Double check.
After a while, I sold that house and lived in an apartment for a few years. Then like a lunatic, I moved to Connecticut and did it again. But this time, homeownership is NOT going to get the best of me. I check the drainage and walls. I found out when the roof was last replaced. Only the furnace cost me money right from the start.And truly, the benefits outway the problems. It’s MINE. My sanctuary. I can play my music as loud as I want to. I can decorate my walls, my lawn and any other thing I want to decorate. No regrets.
At least, not until I get the furnace bill.
I hope everyone’s new year is starting off great! I’m curious about what goals you’ve set for yourself. If you feel like sharing, post a comment or send me an email and let me know.
One goal many of my friends are setting is “read more books”. If you share that goal, try to be more specific. The more specific your goal, the more likely you’ll be to achieve them.
I can help you get started! Take a look!
Please join me in welcoming author LIsabet Sarai to Living After Midnight.
Not Me
Most authors put some of themselves into their characters. We can’t help it, really. We’re all shaped by our experience, in ways we can’t fully or consciously appreciate. Our characters are likely to share our assumptions, our biases and our values, whether this is our intention or not.
For instance, my female characters tend to be independent, well-educated and unapologetic about their sexuality. Anyone who knows me at all will recognize these traits also describe me. I don’t think I’ve ever written a helpless, timid virgin or a self-obsessed beauty queen. I don’t create violent characters, either, or at least not violent protagonists. You won’t find any mafia capos or special forces agents in my books. (The one exception is Cecily Harrowsmith in Rajasthani Moon, who is Queen Victoria’s spy, and she’s a slightly comic figure.)
Sometimes I deliberately try to create characters who are different from me, but that can be a struggle. The thing is, how can you imagine the inner life of someone whose background, priorities and goals deviate significantly from your own?
So my success varies. In that regard, I’m pretty proud of Wild About That Thing.
My heroine Ruby Jones is definitely not me. She’s a black woman, for one thing. As much as I try to empathize, I doubt I can really understand what it’s like to grow up black in America. She’s also a mother – a single mother, having divorced her cheating ex-husband. I’ve never had children, so it’s a stretch to imagine what it would be like to have total responsibility for someone else’s safety and well-being. Scary. My experience with marriage has been ninety nine percent positive. Ruby in contrast has been badly burned, and is naturally wary of new commitments.
Despite our differences, however, I feel that I know Ruby well. Early in the writing process, I learned about Ruby’s parents and came to see how her relationships with both her mother and her father shaped her personality and her behavior. Somehow these insights were not intellectual. Instead, I found myself in Ruby’s head, listening to her inner critic who often speaks with her mother’s voice.
Ruby is constantly torn between her analytical tendencies and her passionate nature. I suppose this is somewhat true of me, but in Ruby’s case the conflict is particularly painful. One minute she’s a hard-headed businesswoman. The next, she’s a puddle of lust.
Anyway, I do hope my readers enjoy Ruby Jones. I feel that she’s one of the most realistic heroines I’ve created, as well as one of the most likable.
Note, though, that she still shares some attributes with me. She is independent and, as you might guess from the tag line, unapologetic about her sexuality..
Wild about that Thing
Ruby Jones has clear priorities. Her teenage son comes first, then her struggling blues club. Her love life ranks as a distant third. Deserted by her cheating ex-husband, Ruby's determined she's going to make it on her own. She's not about to let any man into her heart. Now her hot blood seems to have landed her in an impossible situation. Two lovers…and she wants them both.
Kinky Literature – https://www.kinkyliterature.com/book/1342-wild-about-that-thing-/
Amazon US – https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CPDD3JR9
Amazon UK – https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0CPDD3JR9
Smashwords – https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1485627
Barnes and Noble – https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/wild-about-that-thing-lisabet-sarai/1110738210?ean=2940167659858
Kobo - https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/wild-about-that-thing-4
Apple Books – https://books.apple.com/us/book/x/id6474285642
Add on Goodreads - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/203152943-wild-about-that-thing
Add on BookBub - https://www.bookbub.com/books/wild-about-that-thing-by-lisabet-sarai-2023-12-10
About Lisabet
Lisabet Sarai became addicted to words at an early age. She began reading when she was four. She wroteher first story at five years old and her first poem at seven. Since then, she has written plays, tutorials,scholarly articles, marketing brochures, software specifications, self-help books, press releases, a five-hundredpage dissertation, and lots of erotica and erotic romance – over one hundred titles, and counting, in nearlyevery sub-genre—paranormal, scifi, ménage, BDSM, LGBTQ, and more. Regardless of the genre, every oneof her stories illustrates her motto: Imagination is the ultimate aphrodisiac.
You’ll find information and excerpts from all Lisabet’s books on her website(http://www.lisabetsarai.com/books.html), along with more than fifty free stories and lots more. At her blogBeyond Romance (http://lisabetsarai.blogspot.com), she shares her philosophy and her news and hosts lots ofother great authors. She’s also on Goodreads, BookBub and Twitter. Join her VIP email list here: https://btn.ymlp.com/xgjjhmhugmgh
This year, I’m trying to slow down and savor the holidays. Time with people I love, reflection, and time to play.
This weekend we made ornaments. It was so much fun. I think we laughed and smiled the whole time.
I wonder what we’ll do next.
Enjoy the season, my friends.
One of the thing that’s magical about the holidays to me is how quickly time flies. I think the days go by so fast is because, well, as you get older, each year is a smaller percentage of your life. Think about it. When you are five years old, a year is a whole fifth of your life. When you’re 20, it’s 1/20th. When you’re 40, it’s 1/40th…and so on.
Specifically, I think the time goes by quickly because we are also busy. No matter what job I’ve held, it has gotten crazier starting in November. That maybe because I’ve always provided services to people in one capacity or another and holidays are hard for many of us—even more so when you’re vulnerable or disenfranchised in some way.
I’ve always found that reading helps me to slow down. Catch my breath and relax. Does it work that way for you, too?
Here are some books that I hope help you to slow down time and take care of yourself so you can enjoy the season. Just click on the pictures.
N.N.Light’s Book Heaven Holiday Gift Guide
Love is love.
Fantasy Romance
It’s unseasonably warm here in Connecticut. The leaves are only now turning and falling to the ground. Yesterday and today it hit 80 degrees.
That’s crazy.
We took advantage of the warm weather to put away much of our outdoor furniture. It’s a majestic view, the red and orange, beige and brown leaves covering uncharacteristically green grass. We also put out halloween decorations and of course, dressed-up our babies.
In case you’re wondering, these are Lee MIddleton Dolls. Their faces were sculpted and their bodies signed by one and only Reba Schick, an artist who sculpted the most beautiful doll faces. These two are especially precious to me because my partner and I chose their hair and eyes and bodies. Aren’t they adorable?
Happy Halloween. Welcome to Fall.
A plate of quesadillas.
I’m sure I’m not alone in occasionally eating take-out food. There are those days when I’m too tired to think about cooking. Or too busy to have time to make a meal. And I’ll admit it—sometimes, there just isn’t anything in the fridge that is even remotely appealing.
My partner and I are not very adventurous when it comes to food. Once in a blue, we’ll try a new restaurant after thoroughly vetting it through friends or reviews. When we find one, it goes on the list of options.
There was a time when we could count on these select places to give us delicious, beautifully present food in exchange for money. Since the pandemic, we tip for take-out because given the circumstances it felt like the right thing to do.
But our list today is short and growing shorter. Restaurants that we have had great food and experiences with are disappointing us in a myriad of ways.
An item (or two) missing from our order.
A presentation so poor as to be unappealing.
Badly cooked—burned beyond edibility or worse.
Just yesterday, we ordered from a place that we have gotten food from many, many times. It’s gotten progressively worse. For instance, at some point we ordered a bean burrito that had no beans in it. Seriously. But we decided to give it another chance. This time we ordered quesadillas. It was the trifecta of awful: Sloppily constructed and presented. Chicken so dried out it it was unrecognizable as chicken—or anything edible. And—you guessed it—burned tortillas.
At this point, the only three places that have not disappointed us—yet—are our local McDonald’s, a pizza parlor with amazing zucchini fries, and a little breakfast place. As a business person, I have an idea what is happening and it has to do with training, oversight, lack of pride in a job well done, etc. But a question remains: WHY is it happening? I have no idea but if you do, I’d like to hear it.
Take out no longer seems worth the convenience. I think we’ll stop eating out for a while, and instead plan simple meals that we can make even if we’re tired or have little time. To be sure, it’s healthier and less expensive this way. But it sure is disappointing.
House of the Rising Son
House of the Rising Son: Book 1 in the Living After Midnight Series
Genre: LGBT Urban Fantasy Romance
Cheyenne is a half-human incubus whose star is on the rise in the Unakite City rock scene. His father, the leader of the supernatural races, would prefer he keep a “low profile”, but screw that. Cheyenne has as much music in his veins as royal incubi blood.
Alexander's future is all set: finish law school, join the family firm, and marry someone who'd be good for business. Not that he has a say in any of it. He's barely met the woman his father expects him to marry. Keeping the peace is his priority. Until he meets Cheyenne.
If secrets are kept, they can never be together. If their secrets are exposed, chaos will reign in both families.
Either way, life will never be the same.
House of the Rising Son is the first book in the LGBTQIA+ urban fantasy series Living After Midnight. Warning: This book features quirky supernatural creatures, a Thanksgiving dinner that makes the Inquisition look like a tea party, and an incubus that will rock your world.
~~~~
Excerpt
“So tell me,” he murmured into her ear, “how do you know Alexander?”
Gwen flushed and wished there was a fan nearby. The heat from the stage lights was stronger than she’d thought. She cleared her throat. “He’s my brother.”
Cheyenne grasped her hands and put them around his waist. “I should have noticed the resemblance. You’re stunning. What brings you out tonight? A family celebration?”
“Not a celebration. An exploration. Alexander told me a great deal about you. More than he intended.”
“Oh, did he? Here, put one hand on my shoulder. Now the other one.” Cheyenne shimmied down her body as if she was pushing him. Once on his knees, he pretended to lick upwards along one thigh and back down the other.
She stifled a moan as something in her lower body clenched. The audience screamed.
He looked up at her. “Grab my collar and pretend to pull me up.” Gwen obliged. This was more fun than she expected, and it was the sexiest thing she’d ever done in public.
Cheyenne whispered in her ear again. The warmth of his breath made her skin tingle. “And what do you think? About what he told you.”
“I think I understand.” She’d have to be dead not to understand her brother’s attraction to the singer.
“So, can we agree that it’s probably driving him crazy that you’re on stage with me?”
“No doubt. My sisters too.”
“Sisters? Ah. How about we give you something to live down?”
I’m gonna…I’m gonna…
Make your skin burn with the memory,”
“Your breath will only echo my sigh.
Come…and come to me, sweet, sweet darling
One moment, our bodies, forever… You and I.
Alexander had seen this act before. When Cheyenne brought someone on stage, the entire charade was calculated to make the audience go crazy and to give the squealing fangirl the experience of a lifetime. But this was Gwen. She wasn’t some rabid fan. She was a grown woman with a legal career—and his sister, damn it.
Cheyenne lifted Gwen on to the riser. He turned so she sat behind him, her hand on his shoulders while he danced and sang. The stage lights dimmed, leaving a hazy spotlight on Cheyenne.
Facing the audience, Cheyenne unbuttoned his shirt, each opening punctuated by an echoing tap of a cymbal. From her perch, Gwen slid the shirt off of his shoulders. When it hit the floor, the music stopped, and the lights extinguished.
A flush began in the pit of Alexander’s stomach and crept up to his face. Gwen had wondered why he’d moved from a future in a comfortable law office, complete with leather-crafted armchairs and a bottle of expensive bourbon, to a psychedelic padded room with a bottle of beer and a guaranteed hangover. He hoped she realized she had just undressed the explanation.
Buy Links (including Goodreads and BookBub):
https://books.apple.com/us/book/house-of-the-rising-son/id6445258059
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/house-of-the-rising-son-trevann-rogers/1122604899
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/house-of-the-rising-son-3
People who experience chronic pain are very good at pretending to be okay. Even if every step feels like grinding glass. Even if standing upright takes herculean effort. Even if they are holding their breath so they don’t whimper…or scream.
My partner spent many years trying to get doctors to believe that yes, I am in immense pain and no, whatever treatment you’ve given me hasn’t worked. Finally, she found two brilliant doctors, both women, who believed her from the start and set out to find a way to help her. And to some degree, they have.
It’s easy to understand how people get addicted to prescription medicine. J.R. once told me that she could imagine a level of pain were she knows she would do absolutely anything to make it go away.
Anyway, the point of all this is that you never know the burdens that someone is carrying. You never truly know how someone feels. It doesn’t cost a thing to be kind.
So be kind. Please.
Her taboo relationships give her new life. Now there's a secret worth dying for.
After Midnight: The Beginning
Genre: LGBTQ+ Urban Fantasy Romance
***
Jewell spent her college years avoiding two threats: sunlight and her sadistic stepfather.
Ria hails from a family of old-world vamps who want her to fall in line. Fat chance, especially since being in that line includes not being gay.
Being in love is easy for Ria and Jewell—they belong together like vodka and tomato juice. Adding a sexy incubus to their union is the hot sauce in their Bloody Mary. The only problem? Jewell's stepfather.
He demands Jewell return home. He's supported her for her entire life, and tuition isn't cheap. She belongs to him. Her debt has come due.
If she refuses, he'll kill her. If she agrees, it could expose a secret that will result in worldwide carnage.
Jewell and Ria have until dawn to decide…
...and it's already After Midnight.
Warning: This book features spicy supernatural creatures, an attempted assault that makes the perp wish he'd just stayed home, and a secret that changes everything.
After Midnight: The Beginning is the 2nd book in the LGBTQ urban fantasy series Living After Midnight. It can be read out of order and as a Happy for Now standalone.
“After a round of see you laters, Jewell followed Ria through a dozen mismatched and worn bistro tables to a group of yard sale loveseats tucked against the wall near the stage, and across the room from the entrance. Hand-sewn throws were strewn across the small sofas. It gave the space a shabby chic kind of look. Cute. Someone was trying to spruce the place up.
Jewell sat on the purple couch and patted the dusty cushion next to her to invite her girlfriend to sit. She liked this bar, despite the dirt and sticky floors. If the owner cleaned it up a bit, it might become one of those funky after-hours clubs that could put Unakite on the map.
"Could this be any lower to the ground?" Ria sat on the edge of the sofa and tugged at her red micro-mini-skirt. "I practically have to be a contortionist not to show my stuff to the creeps across the room." She flashed an insincere smile to the group of men leering at them, and whispered to Jewell through bared teeth, "Do you see that idiot coming over here? Start coughing like you have tuberculosis.“I don't have the patience for these pushy humans.”
“Pushy? The young man approaching them seemed more like a salmon in a den of grizzly bears, out of his element and nervous as hell. Jewell had to give him credit: he had the guts to head toward Ria.
Prey seldom made good decisions in the face of a predator.”
Please join me in welcoming Kate Hill to LAM to talk about her new story, CALEB.
~~~~~~~
Werewolf Willpower?
I think my fascination with werewolves began with the movie The Howling. To this day it's my favorite werewolf movie. What I liked best about it was that unlike many other werewolf stories, the werewolves in this movie had control over their shapeshifting abilities. They weren't lone hunters, but lived in a pack-like atmosphere.
I'd always considered werewolves to be the most frightening of the classic monsters, and that fear wasn't only because of their power, but because most werewolves seemed to have no control over it. You could argue that a werewolf that retained his human intelligence after changing shape is the most frightening of all, but that kind of werewolf opens up opportunities to explore plotlines beyond a monster hunting people and in turn being hunted by people. Best of all, werewolves with self-control allow them the chance to become heroes as well as villains. In the world of paranormal romance, werewolves make exciting main characters.
In my latest release Caleb, most of the characters are werewolves. The romance between alpha werewolf Caleb and his mate Tia shares equal time with his rivalry with the werewolf Mette whose main ambition is to destroy Caleb and take control of the pack. Creating their world and their opposing personalities was both fun and challenging. Caleb and Mette are both intelligent werewolves, but they have radically different ideas about how their power should be used.
Are you a fan of werewolves or other shifters? What do you like best about them?
Caleb
by Kate Hill
Series: Romantic Moments
Format(s): Ebook
Heat Level: Mild
Pairing(s): M/F
Genre/Themes: Werewolf, Hurt and Comfort, Urban Fantasy
Length: Short Story
Preorder Link:
https://www.amazon.com/Caleb-Romantic-Moments-Book-2-ebook/dp/B0CD9G6XL5
I'm a powerful and respected Alpha, but the wolf Mette covets my leadership. I'm injured when my conniving enemy challenges me.
After losing my pack and nearly my life, I go to lick my wounds in the human world, but my beloved mate Tia knows that a wolf's broken spirit can heal, and there is only one true leader of our pack.
Note: Caleb is a very short werewolf action romance story with a mild heat level, moderate violence, and a HEA. This Romantic Moments story is the perfect length for a lunch break, before bed, or any time you want a quick, romantic read.
Excerpt:
"Finally," Curtis snapped. "It's been a blood feast around here. Two more bodies were found today, ripped apart about a mile down the road."
"It's Mette." Silvan bared his teeth. Rage shone in his dark eyes. "He's gone crazy. He thinks we should feed on human flesh like in the old days."
Tia looked as disgusted as I felt. Though wolves at heart, we had also formed ties among humans. Coexisting with them wasn't just a theory to us. We'd done it. Blood, fear, and hatred didn't have to exist between them and us.
"What about the rest of the pack?" I demanded, my heart pounding. If wolves turned on humans again, I didn't want to think about the consequences to both species.
Author Bio:
Kate Hill is a vegetarian New Englander who loves writing romantic fantasies. When she's not working on her books, Kate enjoys reading, working out, watching horror movies, and researching vampires and Viking history. She runs the Compelling Beasts Blog that is dedicated to antagonists, antiheroes, and paranormal creatures. Kate also writes as Saloni Quinby.
Visit her online at https://www.kate-hill.com. Join her newsletter at https://kate-hill.com/index.php/newsletter.
Social Links:
Website: https://kate-hill.com/
Blog: https://kate-hill.com/blog/
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