M.J. Fredrick's Blog, page 62
July 6, 2011
In Honor of International Kissing Day…
The first kiss between Marcus and Brylie in Midnight Sun, available from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Smashwords (half off with the coupon SSW50)
He tucked the wine glasses in the cup holders on her private table, then turned to her, curving his hands over her hips. He crowded her against the wall as he brought his mouth down on hers, his lips firm and dry, his breath flavored with the shiraz. She quivered, waiting for the kiss to deepen. Instead, he brushed his mouth back and forth over her parted lips, then dipped his tongue between them. A needy sound tore from her throat as she slipped her hands up his arms to his shoulders—so hard—before curling around the back of his neck, her fingers playing over the short hair there. She angled her head to deepen the kiss as she pulled him closer. He chuckled against her mouth and drew her hips forward. Memories of the other night flooded her with desire.
The first kiss between Noah and Ellie in Something to Talk About, available from Amazon, Barnes and Noble and Lyrical.
Her breath shuddered out on a nervous laugh as he curved his fingers over her hips, drawing her slightly forward, his eyes on hers. A shiver ran though her and for a moment he thought she'd pull away as he eased closer. Her breath washed sweetly over his mouth, lemony. She'd been to Mrs. Merina's for lemonade.
He smiled and his nose bumped hers. His fingers tightened, just a bit, as he brushed her parted lips with his.
She made a small sound in the back of her throat as he slanted his mouth over hers, reining in his hunger to concentrate on the taste of her, the feel of her, the rhythm of her breath, of her heart. He wanted to absorb her, to savor her. Then her hands were on him, one sliding beneath his collar, her thumb playing at the placket of his shirt. Desire moved, thick and hot and, God help him, unfamiliar, through his veins. Her other hand skimmed the shoulder seam of his shirt, back and forth, cupping his shoulder a moment. Her touch heated his skin so he deepened the kiss and pulled her body against his. Her breath caught and she leaned forward, gliding her hand around his shoulders, leaning into him. Just as her hand crept up to play in his hair…
"Uncle Noah!"
What are your favorite first kisses?
July 5, 2011
Dangerous Kisses by Trish Milburn
Dangerous Kisses by Trish Milburn
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Sydney is an intrepid reporter wanting to help right wrongs. Super Cop Jake Radley is the detective hunting down a serial killer in Nashville, and he doesn't want to have to work around a reporter, even one as cute and dedicated to the truth as Sydney. But when her articles make her a target of the killer, he has to step in to make sure that she doesn't become a victim. Against his better judgment, he begins to fall for her, and I love to see a man who's certain he'll always be alone fall in love!
This is Trish Milburn's sexiest book, and her first romantic suspense, for which she shows real flair. Her journalism background adds realism to the story. The characters, with their dark pasts, really came alive for me–I cried twice while reading this on the plane!
July 4, 2011
From Sea to Shining Sea
So Trish is in Salem, Massachusetts on a research trip and I'm jealous. I've never been to New England, and when I was looking up Salem, there are so many cool things to see in that area, like the House of the Seven Gables and the witch museums and the seaside sites.
There are so many places I'd love to see across the US. I need to hit it big so the dh can take time off and come with me.
In no particular order, the places I want to see:
The Black Hills. I've been watching Deadwood and my friend Cindi went to see Mount Rushmore a couple of years back and I just want to go.
Monument Valley. I've never been to Utah, and to see all that evidence of erosion would be cool.
Maine. I love lighthouses and would just love to see that part of the country.
DeSmet, South Dakota. I've been rereading the Little House books and I would love to see the place where Laura grew up.
Alaska. I'm not really a cruise person, but I'd like to take a cruise and maybe see whales along the way.
Yellowstone. I'm not really an outdoors person either, but something about this place makes me think I can deal 
Santa Fe. I keep hearing so much about this place. I want to go, just for a couple of days.
San Diego. I've been as far north as San Francisco in CA, and I've been through the middle to Los Angeles, but never to San Diego. I'd love to see this city by the sea.
Chincoteague and Assateague. I read Misty of Chincoteague when I was a girl and have wanted to see those places ever since.
Where in the US do you want to go?
July 3, 2011
Goals for the Week of Independence Day
Usually I can't appreciate the Fourth of July because I feel like my summer's halfway over. But the past couple of years the holiday has been fun, and now I'm glad I'll be home the rest of the summer, 6 more weeks. Plus, I finished the rough draft of Bluestone 2 , the first project I've finished ALL YEAR. So that feels good.
This week:
1) Work on Bluestone 3–I'm doing Camp NaNoWriMo, which is essentially NaNoWriMo in July. I have 4000 words so far.
2) Celebrate Fourth of July. No fireworks, though, because of the drought and the danger of wildfires.
3) Finish the skirt I cut out last fall!
4) Edits on Guarded Hearts, my December book.
5) Grocery
6) Keep up house/cook dinner
7) Exercise
Breakfast with Mom/BB
9) Send son to Colorado for his gf's birthday.
See my new hero?
July 2, 2011
Abducted by T.R. Ragan
ABDUCTED by T.R. Ragan
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
One of the things I love about summer vacation is getting to stay up late finishing a book. But even if it HADN'T been summer vacation, I wouldn't have been able to stop reading. This fast-paced thriller kept me clicking afternoon into evening into late night. The cast of characters is large, but each one was well-developed and fleshed out, especially Lizzy and the villain, who I almost felt sorry for at times. I loved tough Hayley and sexy Jared. I only wish the book had been longer!
July 1, 2011
The Merzetti Effect by Norah Wilson
The Merzetti Effect by Norah Wilson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
What a fun book! So many exciting twists, which kept me turning pages to the wee hours of the morning. And the vampire mythology in this book was so different from everything I've read.
Poor Ainsley, swept into this world she doesn't understand by secretive, sexy Delano, but our spunky heroine adjusts well, and falls for this man who's held himself outside of the world for so long. Very hot and VERY romantic!
June 30, 2011
Yours to Keep by Shannon Stacey
Yours To Keep by Shannon Stacey
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I didn't think it possible for a hero to be sexier than Kevin Kowalski, but Sean does it. The sexual tension in this book sizzles! What a fun book that kept me turning the pages (well, clicking them!) I loved everything about this book except that Emma is lying to her grandmother so she wouldn't worry. But once I went along with that, I was in for a fun, sexy read that even had me tearing up a couple of times. I thought Sean and Emma were perfectly matched. More Kowalskis, please!
June 29, 2011
My Minnesota Trip
I went back to Minnesota for a long weekend. We drove up to the lake house Thursday morning after I arrived. It was cold and rainy, but cleared in the afternoon enough to go out on the deck. The next morning (after being awakened by my dad's Cavapoo Mitzi) we went into town for breakfast, then to pick up a repaired propeller and dream about buying new boats. My dad and stepmom have a motor boat, but want a pontoon boat because it seats more. Dad wanted one that seated 12. My stepmom said, "We don't have 12 friends." I said, "You will if you buy that boat!"
We went back to the lake and it was warm enough to go out on the boat. In fact, it got plain ol' hot. We saw a blue heron on someone else's dock. In fact, at first I thought it was a statue! (I'd also seen one flying over the car when Dad picked me up from the airport.) We had to tow in a pontoon boat that was having trouble. They were glad to see us because no one else was out on the lake! We did another boat ride after dinner, which was really nice.
Saturday (after Mitzi woke me again) Dad was awake before Sue, and he said, "There's something you should see." He took me out on the porch and just below us, a snapping turtle was laying her eggs! He doesn't like snapping turtles because they're mean and they eat fish and ducks, but he put a gate around the nest anyway, when the mother had moved off. Sue and I went for a walk while Dad powerwashed the deck. Poor thing–it took him all day. We sat on the deck, then down on the dock. We saw three loons, which Dad and Sue said is unusual because they mate for life. They think the third is the pair's offspring. We went on a boat ride, then Sue and I took the paddle boat out. (Maybe it was the other way around.) My recumbent exercise bike really built up my endurance! I wasn't even sore after! (Getting in and out is tricky, though!) Then we went to dinner at Horseshoe Lake. Was good! We went back, sat on the deck until the sun went down, then to bed.
Sunday we left after a good breakfast and another boat ride. We'd seen the heron and a younger one, too, every day we were there. I wanted a picture, but no luck. I saw him, but he was flying. Then we closed up the house, and drove into town because they were having a classic car show. You know I loved that. Then we drove down to the towns I'm using as a model for my Bluestone books. We stopped and took pictures, though I do have the town pretty well mapped out in my mind. I drew a map in my notebook as we drove back to the city. We unpacked the truck, then went out to dinner, then sat around the living room and they read the paper while I checked email. We saw another blue heron flying past.
Monday Sue had to go to work and Dad and I did a couple of errands, then came back to check email, then went to lunch in the adorable town of Excelsior, on Lake Minnetonka. We ate at a corner pub, on the sidewalk, and the waitress thought it was hot (it was 77). Of course, she could probably outlast me in the cold! We walked down to the lake, where people were feeding the Canadian geese, which apparently are fairly common. Then we went back to the house, I got my stuff and flew home (next to a guy who was 6'4 and about 250).
So I didn't get a lot of reading or writing done, but I'm ready to go now!
Wildlife spotted:
heron
sandhill cranes
osprey
bald eagle
loons
tern
yellow tanninger
snapping turtle
deer
fox
chipmunks
squirrels
June 26, 2011
Goals for the Week I Become a Hermit
This week has been awesome, gorgeous weather in MN, time on the lake and with family, but I haven't gotten much writing done. Tomorrow I go home, and I'm ready to be a hermit, while so many others are heading to NY to socialize. (I'm fine with it. Really.)
1) Finish Bluestone 2. That means about 12,000 words. I was able to write on the way to CA, but not on MN because I had no elbow room. And though I carry my netbook with me everywhere, I've not been able to fit in any words, though I have deleted some L
2) Judge Maggie entries.
3) Get in a routine—exercise, writing, cleaning house. I have 7 weeks.
4) Hit the grocery store and start cooking. I have hardly cooked at all this summer.
5) Figure out when/how I'm getting the house painted.
6) MAYBE breakfast with Mom, Joe and BB.
Wish me luck!
June 23, 2011
Nostalgia
I 've been rereading the Little House on the Prairie books, so last night when I was flipping through the channels, I stopped to watch part of an episode. I think I'd stopped watching at that point, because Mary was married (!) and Laura was still in pigtails but in love with Almanzo (!). So I changed the channel and Grease was on! I remember seeing this in maybe 6th grade. I had the soundtrack on 8-track. It was a little sad to see Jeff Conaway, since he recently passed away, because I always thought he was cuter than Travolta.
I also was influenced by a lot of the fashions.
I had a dress like this of Sandy's:
And I had an outfit like Marty's in the last picture, the orange skirt and black top.
And of course I bought the shiny pants for when I went to the skating rink.
I don't think my mom realized what this movie was about when she took me to see it, and bought me the soundtrack, and bought me the novelization. Still, watching it took me back to those long ago summers.
What movies/shows take you back?
