O.M. Grey's Blog, page 16

OMG 2012 BT: Romance Junkies Giveaway & Our First WINNER!

Today is the final day I’ll be appearing on a blog. Please join me over at Romance Junkies to read about how I got started in podcasting, to listen to the STEAMY chapter one of Avalon Revisited, and for a chance to win an author-signed copy of AVALON REVISITED. You only need comment and ask a question to enter. Today is the LAST DAY TO ENTER! So get over there quick and comment!

AND THE WINNER IS….

Last Sunday, I kicked off this blog tour on Bitten by Paranormal Romance where I offered up the reader’s choice of Avalon Revisited or The Zombies of Mesmer. There, one could read an excerpt from each book and enter to win just by posting a comment. We had several entries, but thanks to Random.org, the winner of an author-signed novel of their choice is…

******BEKAH JUNE******

Congratulations, Bekah! Please email me at steampunkgrey (at) gmail, let me know which book you would prefer, if you want it dedicated and to whom, and your shipping address.

Tomorrow is the Goodreads giveaway, when the blog tour officially ends, but as of now, you can still enter into all of the contests but one. See details below.

But…while we’re on the subject of Goodreads, Avalon Revisited is once again in the spotlight! After being an Amazon.com Gothic Romance Best Selling novel in 2010, today it is in the top 100 books out of over 1400 on this Goodreads list: Best Unknown Books That Must Be Known.

Please go VOTE for Avalon Revisited. As of the time I’m typing these words, it’s at #89 #57!! Let’s get it in the top 50! It only takes a second and it will help me out a great deal. Thank you.

MORE GIVEAWAYS!

There is still time to enter these contests from earlier this week!

Win a KINDLE and a handmade baby Cthulhu at Bitten by Books. Read a different excerpt from The Zombies of Mesmer and enter to win via Rafflecopter. Easy sign-in with Facebook or Twitter, and there are many ways to increase your entries. It’s so much fun to see all the things you can do! But the only this you have to do is 1) leave your name & country, and 2) leave a comment on the guest post. Contest ends on Sunday, December 2nd.
Win all three of my titles (The Zombies of Mesmer, Caught in the Cogs, and Avalon Revisited) PLUS an adorable handmade Voodoo Doll at Straight from Hel! Read about Dr. Mesmer, hypnosis, and Voodoo, then enter to win these books, all beautifully gift wrapped with a hand-drawn gift tag, just by leaving a comment and asking a question. Contest ends Friday, November 30. LAST DAY TO ENTER!!
Win a copy of Caught in the Cogs and a handwritten, matted copy of my poem “New York Rain,” as well as read about the inspiration behind my poetry and listen to a short fiction/poetry podcast! All over at Savvy Verse & Wit! Easy, easy entry…just comment and ask a question. Contest ends on Sunday, December 2nd.
Win a copy of The Zombies of Mesmer and a beautiful clock-hand tiara/necklace at STEAMED, where you can also read my short story “Hannah & Gabriel,” a Steampunk retelling of “Hansel & Gretel.” Contest ends Sunday, December 2nd. 
All week long you can enter to win a copy of any of the books on Goodreads. Contest ends on Saturday, December 1st.

-_Q

Click here for the entire O. M. Grey 2012 Blog Tour Weekly Schedule

Filed under: Events & Contests, News & Reviews Tagged: 50 shades of grey, author, avalon, avalon revisited, bdsm, bitten by paranormal romance, book, contest, erotica, giveaway, goodreads, olivia grey, passion, podcast, romance, romance junkies, sex, steampunk, the zombies of mesmer, vampires, victorian, winner, zombies, zombies of mesmer

Courage, Integrity, and After-Care Respect (Podcast)

Episode 48: Courage, Integrity, and After-Care Respect (Podcast).

**Trigger Warnings** This podcast discusses sexual assault and rape.

Many people just don’t know how to respond when someone comes out and says they’ve been assaulted. They fall into what culture has shown us, unfortunately for the victim, that culture is a rape culture.

Learn how to appropriately and compassionately respond to a victim of abuse and/or sexual assault. Learn what to say to them to help them feel safe and loved. Learn what to say to the accused.

It’s up to us.

Courage, Integrity, and After-Care Respect (Podcast)

Download: 48_PolyamoryBlog.mp3

Original Blog Post

-_Q

Subscribe to this podcast in a reader …or in iTunes

Filed under: Podcasts Tagged: abuse, after-care, aftercare, austin poly community, austin poly rapist, austin polyamorous community, austin sex positive, author, community, community responsibility, compersion, consent, deception, emotional abuse, enthusiastic, ethical non monogamy, fear, healing, heart, heartbroken, help, honesty, insecurity, insidious, integrity, intimacy, jealous, lie, lies, love, LTR, misogyny, non-monogamy, o.m. grey, olivia grey, open, open marriage, passion, podcast, poly, polyamory, power, rape, rape culture, rape survivor, relationship, relationships, respect, romance, romantic, self esteem, self-protection, sex, sex positive, sex positivity, sexual assault, survivor, trauma, traumatic, trust, tumblr, violence

OMG 2012 BT: STEAMED! Steampunk Novel & Tiara Giveaway!

Photo by Greg Daniels

Welcome to Day # 5 of my week long blog tour!

Today, please join me at STEAMED! where you can read the first part of the  story below as well as enter to win an author-signed copy of The Zombies of Mesmer and a Clockhand Tiara/Necklace made by EJP Creations. I’m wearing the lovely piece as a tiara in this picture, taken for Gearhearts Steampunk Glamour Revue, but it can also be worn as a necklace. Check out the close up at the end of the story.

(By the by, you can order your very own copy of Gearhearts Steampunk Glamour Revue, Issue #3, featuring ME on the cover, my short story “Of Aether & Aeon,” an in-depth interview, a review of Avalon Revisited, and more scandalous pictures of yours truly along with many other Steampunk beauties. Order from Antarctic Press today!)

Be sure to read the beginning of “Hannah & Gabriel,” a Steampunk retelling of “Hansel and Gretel” over at STEAMED!

….continuation of the story….

Hannah still counted next to him. “twenty-five, twenty-six, twenty-seven, twenty-eight, twenty-nine, and thirty. Ready or not! Here we come!” she sang. But her smile fell the instant she saw Gabriel’s face.

Her scream echoed off the surrounding trees.

“C’mon, she couldn’t have gone that far yet. I think I heard her go this way,” Gabe said pointing into a thicket of trees. They truly did all look the same. After about twenty minutes, Hannah began to panic again.

“She left us here. She really left us!”

“It will be just fine, Hannah. I left a trail, but I ran out of cogs before we got here. Still if we can find just one cog, we can find our way back home.”

“I’m hungry,” Hanna said.

“Me, too. We have these.” Gabriel held out the crusts of bread, and Hannah took the smaller one. “No, take the bigger one. We’ll be home before long, and there will be more there.”

They ate in silence, but it did not take too long to finish their lunch, as the pieces of bread were very small. They started walking again, but Hannah began to fall behind just after a short while.

“I’m really tired, Gabe. Can we rest some more, please?”

She sat down in the leaves and fell over onto outstretched arms, fast asleep. In fact, she lay so  perfectly still, Gabriel had to look closely to see that her little chest was still rising and falling. It was. Although he felt relieved, he thought it strange she would fall asleep so fast, but just as he finished that thought, all went black and he collapsed next to her.

The sound of a deep voice singing woke Gabriel from his unnatural slumber. His sister still lay in the same place, same position. She shivered all over, and he felt cold, too. Darkness surrounded them. Only the light of the moon allowed him to see at all. It was high in the sky, so it must be very late. The singing started to fade. After lifting Hannah up by the arm, which woke her up, Gabe dragged her along side of him as he followed the sound of the song. Before too long, a light appeared up ahead in the shape of a square with a cross through the middle. A window! There was a cottage which meant food and a fire. They would not freeze or starve after all. Gabriel watched a tall, lanky man disappear into the house. It must have been he who had been singing.

“Where are we?” Hannah was still sleepy. She rubbed her eyes with her little fists.

“Here is a cottage. We shall be all right, just as I told you.”

“Look!” She pointed to the cabin, and Gabe clasped his hand over her mouth before she could say anything else.

“Shhhh,” he warned, finger pressed tightly to his lips.

“Look,” she whispered this time. “The cottage is made of cake and candy!”

“Don’t be silly, Hannah. Houses cannot be made of sweets! The birds would eat them all up.”

“But look!” she insisted.

Sure enough, the roof shingles did indeed seem to be slices of gingerbread cake and the shutters around the windows looked like licorice. The smell of freshly baked gingerbread wafted in their direction. Just as they were about to sneak up and help themselves, the lanky man appeared in the window and placed three hot pies on the windowsill to cool.

Gabriel took Hannah by the hand and led her slowly up to the window. As they got closer, they could see that the licorice shutters were actually wrought iron and the gingerbread shingles were just regular wooden shingles covered in a brown sort of moss. But the pies on the windowsill were very real! Using the napkin that had held the bread, Gabe reached up and slid the nearest one off the ledge. Even through the cloth, the iron plate burned his hand, but he didn’t care. He dashed away from the house with his sister following every footstep. Once they were far enough away not to be seen in the darkness, but not so far that they lost sight of the house, Gabe stopped running, sat down, and dug in. His sister followed his lead, and before long they had devoured the entire pie.

“Gladys? Gladys, are you there?” The lanky man stood in the doorway and called out to the darkness. The sound of his voice made both Gabe and Hannah freeze in mid-chew. They held their breath until the man dropped his head, shook it sadly from side to side, mumbled something to himself, and closed the door as he disappeared back inside.

“Let’s go to him,” Hannah said looking up at Gabe with her big blue eyes. So brave, even at just six years old. Brave, or perhaps not old enough to be wary of strangers. Besides, after being betrayed and abandoned by their own family, how could they trust anyone? They could not survive on their own, two children lost in the woods. So they had to risk it, as it was their only option. For Gabe was just two years older, and he could only do so much to care for her. Perhaps this strange man would help them find their way out of the forest and back home.

“In the morning,” Gabe said, putting his arm around Hannah and pulling her close. She shivered against him and before long Gabriel joined her. Even snuggled together, they could not keep out the chill of this October night. “Stay here. I’m going to get another pie.”

“No! He’ll know. Let’s just knock. He wouldn’t turn us away, would he?” Hannah’s big eyes started filling with tears again.

“In the morning. We don’t want to wake him up. He might be cross with us if we wake him, so we’ll wait until dawn.”

“But I’m cold,” she said through chattering teeth, so the word ‘cold’ came out like ‘cowowowold.’

“So am I. Another pie will help. Just wait here.”

“No. I’m coming with you.” She stood up, crossed her arms, and stomped her little foot, and that gesture warmed Gabriel’s heart.

“All right. Just be quiet.”

“I can be quieter than you! Remember last night? I had to tell you to hush, so there.”

“That’s true.” But Gabe’s smile faltered at the reminder of what his parents had done, as if he needed a reminder. “Come on.” They tiptoed back to the house and stopped just outside the window, listening for any sign of movement, but there was none. Gabriel reached up to work a second pie from the windowsill when a long, lanky hand shot out of the window and clasped his wrist. Gabe cried out, scaring Hannah into a shrill scream.

“Ah ha! There are my little thieves,” the man said as he held on tightly to Gabe’s arm, bruising it. Gabriel struggled to get free, but all that did was knock one of the pies to the ground. All that fresh gingerbread pie smashed onto the dirt, ruining it.

“Run, Hannah! Run!”

But Hannah did not run. She just stood there crying and covering her ears.

“Don’t worry none. I’m not going to hurt you. If you were hungry, you should’ve just knocked,” the man said letting the boy go. “I have plenty of food. Please, come inside.”

Gabriel looked at Hannah, and Hannah nodded. But Gabe did not think it was safe.

“It’s much warmer inside, children. Please, do come inside and sit by the fire. I have a delicious roast and potatoes and carrots, and then you can have fresh gingerbread pie for dessert. There is one left after all. All right?”

Tentatively, the children entered the house when the lanky man opened his front door.

“That’s right,” he said. “Go over by the fire and warm up. I’m Dr. Abbington, by the way. Retired, of course. It’s so nice to have the company. What are your names?”

Gabriel stood protectively over Hannah who was already warming herself by the fire. She spoke first.

“I’m Hannah, and this is my brother Gabriel. But I just call him Gabe.”

“Nice to meet you both, Gabe and Hannah. It’s so nice to have the company. It’s so, so very  nice to have some company. So.” Dr. Abbington loudly clapped his hands, making Gabe and Hannah both jump, then he rubbed them together back and forth. It gave Gabriel the creeps. “Are you hungry? You must be hungry. That one little pie didn’t go too far between the two of you.”

“No sir. We’re sorry about stealing from you, sir.”

“Yes. No more stealing.” He shook his long finger just off the tip of Gabriel’s nose. “Just ask and you will receive. Dinner coming up. I’ll just put you both to work tomorrow, and that’s how you will pay for the pie and for dinner. Yes, that’s what I’ll do. Put you to work. So nice to have the company. So, so nice.”

After Dr. Abbington went into the kitchen, Gabriel looked around the strange house. Every nook and cranny was filled with books or gadgets, most of which appeared to be broken. Or at least they hadn’t been used in a long, long time. Cobwebs stretched from cog to corner, from book to book. Above the fireplace hung the only portrait in the entire cottage. It was of a woman all in white. A long white veil covered her hair and parted in the front just enough to show a sweet face. Something about the picture enchanted Gabe so much that he didn’t hear the doctor return.

“That’s my Gladys on our wedding day. The portrait was a gift from her family. Long dead they are now. And my Gladys is gone. Gone, gone. Every night I wait for her to return, and I make fresh gingerbread pie. Her favorite. She did love sweets. Too much, I’m afraid. You children clean your teeth after sweets now, don’t you?”

The ferocity with which he said those last words scared Gabriel. It scared Hannah too, judging by the way she leaned back into him, causing him to catch his balance.

“No matter. Not now. Time for dinner. Come, come. Come to the table here, and I will bring you some meat. It’s good meat. Melts in your mouth, it does. So tender. Sit. Sit!”

He put an iron plate with generous helpings of meat, potatoes, carrots, and even peas down on the long wooden table. Hannah had difficulty getting up into the tall chair, so Gabe helped her up before climbing up on his own chair.

“This is the last of it, I’m afraid,” the doctor said. “So we will have to find some more meat soon. Indeed, soon. No worries. Something always comes along. But there are plenty of potatoes and vegetables yet. Yes. And there is always plenty of pie. Yes plenty of pie. Every night I make more pie. Every night I wait for Gladys to return.”

Between mouthfuls of food, for it really was delicious, Gabe asked, “When was the last time you saw her?”

The doctor looked at him with surprise, almost like he had forgotten anyone else was there, which seemed rather ridiculous since he had just spoken to them. But his shock was apparent. He shook his head and ran his hands through his long white hair, making it all stand up on end. His thin pointy nose hung low over his thin lips and pointy chin. Thin and pointy, that described most of him. Thin and pointy and lanky.

“Oh,” he began to answer and then looked up toward the ceiling, thinking. “It’s been near a month now, I’d gather. Yes. Near a month or so. I remember because it was the day I first noticed the leaves turning. Yes. I had wanted to go for a nice walk together in the woods, but Gladys would have none of it. Her legs hurt, you see. Carrying all that weight. Did I mention she liked sweets? Yes, always eating some sweets. Even rotted out her teeth after a time. I made her brass ones so she could still chew. Oh, how I loved her!”

A tear appeared at the corner of his eye, and he wiped it away with a long, lanky, sad motion.

Gabriel figured he should change the subject, as this one seemed painful. “What is that?” he asked pointing to a rather large wooden contraption in the far corner. He couldn’t think of anything else to say.

“Oh-ho, my boy! That is my greatest invention. It’s a steam engine, but it’s not just a steam engine.” The doctor got up and danced a little jig on the spot, flapping his arms like an oversized gawky chicken. Both of the children giggled at this spectacle. “My greatest invention! You see all around you are my inventions, and I was quite clever. Yes I was, quite clever indeed! But this–” he stroked the side of the monstrous thing with the tenderness of a real mother caressing her child “–this is my greatest invention ever.” His voice even softened as he looked at it.

“How does it work?” Hannah asked.

The massive thing was mostly made of wood, like a big barrel on its side with a trunk sitting atop it. The side of the trunk facing the room had a glass window. It was a door! The doctor unlatched it and it opened downward, revealing a large inner cavity.

“This is also an oven, you see? The bottom portion produces the steam to power–well many possibilities, really–and the top uses the same heat to cook. I’ve cooked an entire wild boar in there. And you see this pipe?” He referred to copper tubing that stretched from the side of the barrel, which had a metal end covered with gauges and more pipes, up into the top oven cavity. “That pipe feeds the extra steam into the oven. The mixture of steam and the heat from below makes for very tender meat. Well, as you just tasted.”

“It was very good,” Hannah said, her eyes wide at this strange machine.

“Yes. Delicious. Thank you, sir,” Gabriel followed, showing his manners.

“Oh my.” The doctor ran a gangly finger down the inside wall of the oven and showed it to the kids. It was all black. “This really must be cleaned. You, boy. Tomorrow, you can clean this. Yes! Put you to work! And you.” He pointed to Hannah, coming closer and bending down to her. “You will tidy up all around, dusting and the like.” His smile was wide, almost splitting his lean face completely in two. Then he flicked his blackened finger down her nose, leaving a long sooty mark which made her giggle. “Time for bed! Tomorrow, you shall tell me how two youngsters ended up alone in the forest, but not tonight. I must return to my vigil. Oh! And put in another pie! I almost forgot. I promised you pie!”

The doctor dished out the pie and the children ate it more slowly than before, for they were very full from their fine meal. Afterward, the doctor lent them each an old dressing gown, which extended far past their feet. Then they slept, long and deep.

“Who are you! What are you doing in my house?” The doctor’s shouts pulled Gabriel out of one nightmare and threw him into another. “How dare you come into my house!”

Gabriel gathered Hannah into his arms to protect her. She hid her face against him.

“Sir! Beg your pardon, sir. You invited us in and fed us last night, remember? After we stole one of your pies, you said we could work it off. I’m happy to work for our food, sir. Then we’ll be on our way.”

The doctor scowled and grabbed Hannah’s arm with his spindly claw.

“No!” Gabriel shouted. “Please sir, I will work. Will will both work. Just don’t hurt us!” He tried desperately to hold onto his sister, but the doctor put his cane against Gabe’s chest and pushed at the same time he pulled on Hannah’s little arm.

“No!” she cried, and the sound hurt the inside of Gabe’s chest even more than the cane was hurting the outside. The doctor carried her away under one arm with Gabriel following behind, trying to save her from this mad man. He grabbed her flailing legs and pulled, but this just angered the doctor more. Spinning around with his cane held high, the doctor brought it down on Gabriel’s head three times. Gabriel tried to protect his head, and felt the blows welt his arms and hands. He remained crumpled in his protective position waiting for more, but the next thing he heard was his sister’s screams muffled by the closing of a door. He looked up to see the doctor locking a closet with a set of keys dangling from a long chain that was attached to his trousers.

“Now you, boy. Get to work. You get that oven spotless, then you can see your sister again. I might even let you go. But first, you will pay for what you stole from me.” He shook the cane at Gabriel, and Gabe put his hands up defensively. “My Gladys! She left because of you. She never liked children. No never. And you drove her away!”

“No, sir. No! We didn’t. We never even met Gladys!”

“Liar!”

Gabriel covered his head again as the doctor raised his cane, but the doctor did not strike this time. Instead, he lowered the cane and tapped it twice on the wooden floor.

“My my,” he said as calm as could be. “Apologies my chap. Now where was I? Ah yes, the oven. I shall get you a bucket and scrub brush.”

The pounding on the closet door and his sister’s muted screams would likely drive Gabriel as mad as the doctor before too long. He must take care of her. It was, after all, up to him now, so he would clean the oven and hope for the best. What other choice did he have?

Gabriel climbed into the oven, and his entire body fit inside. The black soot covered all the sides and it felt gritty on his bare hands. Then he saw something shiny, a single brass nugget trapped back in the far corner. Picking it up, he examined it more closely to see that it was not just any nugget, but it was a tooth! He turned just in time to see Dr. Abbington coming towards him with a large wooden club raised over his head. Gabe leapt out of the oven, and in Dr. Abbington’s surprise at Gabe’s quick retreat, he swung the cudgel with all his might. Gabe ducked, and Dr. Abbington spun around with the force of the missed blow and lost his balance, falling onto the open oven door. The wood baton fell out of his hand as he tried to catch himself, and Gabe picked it up without a moment lost, turned, and brought the club down on Dr. Abbington’s head with all his strength. A sickening crack filled the air just before Dr. Abbington collapsed motionless, half in and half out of the steam oven. Out cold, but still alive. Gabe watched the doctor’s chest rise and fall. Rise and fall. He knew he didn’t have long, so he pulled the key chain, ripping the doctor’s trousers. Then he pushed the doctor all the way into the oven, closed the door, and secured the latch. There was only one knob on the side of the barrel portion of the steam engine, the rest were gauges, so Gabe turned the knob until it pointed to the word ‘High.’

Then, taking the doctor’s keys, he released his sister from the closet. She rushed into his arms, and he held her tight, telling her it was going to be okay. A horrible wail interrupted their moment, and Gabe looked over to see the doctor’s face pressed up against the oven’s glass window. His eyes filled with madness and horror, and his rounded mouth let out another most piteous howl.

“I had to,” Gabe explained to his sister. “He was going to kill us and eat us, just like he did his wife.”

“You mean,” she started, pointing to the dinner table, but she did not have to finish. “I’m glad you did. You will always take care of me, won’t you Gabe?”

“Always.”

“I’m hungry,” she said, looking up at him.

“There’s some bread in the kitchen. I’ll bring you some. Then, in a few hours, we will have a feast of our own.”

So very dark and delicious!

This story, along with eleven others, appears in Caught in the Cogs: An Eclectic Collection. Additionally, you can read my poetry and some relationship essays in that same book, available author-signed from me, on the Kindle, in PB at Amazon.com and wherever books are sold.

Book & Tiara Giveaway at STEAMED!

Don’t forget! There is still time to enter the contests from earlier this week!

Win a KINDLE and a handmade baby Cthulhu at Bitten by Books. Read a different excerpt from The Zombies of Mesmer and enter to win via Rafflecopter. Easy sign-in with Facebook or Twitter, and there are many ways to increase your entries. It’s so much fun to see all the things you can do! But the only this you have to do is 1) leave your name & country, and 2) leave a comment on the guest post. Contest ends on Sunday, December 2nd.
Win a copy of Avalon Revisited at Romance Junkies. Listen to the STEAMY chapter one after reading about how I got started in podcasting. Then enter the giveaway simply by leaving a comment & asking a question. Last day to enter is Friday, November 30th. (TOMORROW!!)
Win all three of my titles (The Zombies of Mesmer, Caught in the Cogs, and Avalon Revisited) PLUS an adorable handmade Voodoo Doll at Straight from Hel! Read about Dr. Mesmer, hypnosis, and Voodoo, then enter to win these books, all beautifully gift wrapped with a hand-drawn gift tag, just by leaving a comment and asking a question. Contest ends Friday, November 30. (TOMORROW!!)
Win a copy of Caught in the Cogs and a handwritten, matted copy of my poem “New York Rain,” as well as read about the inspiration behind my poetry and listen to a short fiction/poetry podcast! All over at Savvy Verse & Wit! Easy, easy entry…just comment and ask a question.
All week long you can enter to win a copy of any of the books on Goodreads. Contest ends on Saturday, December 1st.

-_Q

Join me tomorrow…

Friday, November 30: Romance Junkies: Avalon Revisited Podcast

Book Promo Giveaway

Win an author-signed copy of

the steamy steampunk erotic romance

Avalon Revisited

An Amazon Gothic Romance Best-Selling Novel

LAST DAY TO ENTER!

Click here for the entire O. M. Grey 2012 Blog Tour Weekly Schedule

Filed under: Events & Contests Tagged: age of steam, author, avalon, avalon revisited, bdsm, book, broken heart, caught in the cogs, ejp creations, kindle, lolita, lolitas, love, o.m. grey, olivia grey, paranormal romance, podcast, poetry, relationship advice, relationships, romance, short story, steamed, steampunk, the zombies of mesmer, tiara, vampires, victorian

OMG 2012 BT: Savvy Verse & Wit – Poetry Giveaway

Join me today at Savvy Verse & Wit where I talk about my poetry and the inspiration behind it.

Comment on that guest post and enter to win a copy of Caught in the Cogs: An Eclectic Collection as well as a handwritten, matted copy of my poem “New York Rain,” ready to frame. Perfect give for the poetry fan in your family.

Enter the contest simply by leaving a comment. Last day to enter: Sunday, December 2nd.

Don’t forget! There is still time to enter the contests from earlier this week!

Win a copy of The Zombies of Mesmer or Avalon Revisited at Bitten by Paranormal Romance. Read an excerpt from both books, then leave a comment. It’s that easy! LAST DAY TO ENTER!
Win a KINDLE and a handmade baby Cthulhu at Bitten by Books. Read a different excerpt from The Zombies of Mesmer and enter to win via Rafflecopter. Easy sign-in with Facebook or Twitter, and there are many ways to increase your entries. It’s so much fun to see all the things you can do! But the only this you have to do is 1) leave your name & country, and 2) leave a comment on the guest post. Contest ends on Sunday, December 2nd.
Win a copy of Avalon Revisited at Romance Junkies. Listen to the STEAMY chapter one after reading about how I got started in podcasting. Then enter the giveaway simply by leaving a comment & asking a question. Last day to enter is Friday, November 30th.
Win all three of my titles (The Zombies of Mesmer, Caught in the Cogs, and Avalon Revisited) PLUS an adorable handmade Voodoo Doll at Straight from Hel! Read about Dr. Mesmer, hypnosis, and Voodoo, then enter to win these books, all beautifully gift wrapped with a hand-drawn gift tag, just by leaving a comment and asking a question. Contest ends Friday, November 30.
All week long you can enter to win a copy of any of the books on Goodreads. Contest ends on Saturday, December 1st.

-_Q

Join me tomorrow…

Thursday, November 29: STEAMED!: “Hannah & Gabriel” Short Story

Book & Tiara Giveaway

Win an author signed copy of

The Zombies of Mesmer

PLUS a beautiful creation made from clock hands by EPJ Creations

(can be worn either as a tiara or a necklace)

Click here for the entire O. M. Grey 2012 Blog Tour Weekly Schedule

 

 

Filed under: Events & Contests Tagged: author, avalon, book, broken heart, heartbroken, love, o.m. grey, olivia grey, relationship advice, relationships, romance, sex, shattered

OMG 2012 BT: Straight from Hel & Victorian Holiday Giveaway

Join me today over at Straight From Hel where I talk about Dr. Franz Mesmer and his protege Dr. James Braid and how they relate to my YA Steampunk Paranormal Romance novel The Zombies of Mesmer. There you can also enter to win this lovely Victorian Holiday Gift Package, which includes all three of my books and a golden Voodoo Doll, crocheted by yours truly. The books are wrapped quite fancy, Victorian Style, and adorned with a wax seal a handmade illustrated gift card.

As promised over on Straight from Hel, below is some information about Voodoo Dolls and the Amigurumi Crochet Pattern I used for this little cutie, which can be used to inflict agony on your ex or just to hold your pins while you sew.

VOODOO DOLLS

Turns out, there are several different kinds of Voodoo, like Haitian Vodou, West African Dahomeyan Vodun, and New Orleans Voodoo, aka Louisiana Voodoo. Then there is Voodoo the way Hollywood portrays it, which usually has little to do with history or reality, much like they way they portray paganism and witchcraft. 

But Hollywood and written fiction has definitely popularized the Voodoo Doll, that wonderful dark little poppet used to torture and sometimes even control your enemy, depending on the story.

Voodoo is a religion, originating from African traditions, which has gone underground due to its inaccurate portrayal and fame. The Hollywood 1932 film White Zombie made Voodoo a celebrity. The Voodoo Doll loosely stems from the concept of a gris-gris, or protective amulet. Ironically, the Voodoo Doll was originally used for protection and a way to invoke blessings on another, but it has become a symbol of “black magic” and a way to exact magical revenge upon those who have harmed us.

Personalize Your Voodoo Doll

There are many ways to personalize your Voodoo Doll. The most effective way, according to my research, is to sew something from the target into the doll, like a lock of hair or nail clippings. You can also sew the name of your special someone into the doll. Some dolls faces are left blank, so you can draw a likeness of the person in question. One site said that the pins were for attaching the name or personal article to the doll rather than used the way Hollywood loves to portray it. OUCH!

Amigurumi Voodoo Doll Pin Cushion Pattern

I got the pattern for this cutie from Instructables and slightly modified it. The pattern is canucksgirl’s, and through this site I learned not only how to crochet these little guys, but I learned how to do the magic ring!

It’s been fun crocheting again. My grandmother taught me how to crochet, and it’s been very healing to work with my hands again.

Go on over to Straight From Hel and enter to win this adorable guy along with the gift-wrapped books. It’s easy to enter! All you have to do is comment on her blog for an entry. To gain a second entry, comment here as well. Get 5 more entries each time you Tweet, Facebook, Tumbl, or share on Goodreads. Make sure you make a list of all you’ve done over in the comments at Straight From Hel. The contest runs through Friday, and I’ll announce the winner here on Saturday.

-_Q

Join me tomorrow…

Wednesday, November 28: Savvy Verse & Wit: Fiction/Poetry Podcast

Book & Poetry Giveaway

Win an author-signed copy of

Caught in the Cogs: An Eclectic Collection

PLUS a copy of “New York Rain”

penned longhand by the poet

matted, ready for framing

Click here for the entire O. M. Grey 2012 Blog Tour Weekly Schedule

Filed under: Events & Contests Tagged: author, avalon, avalon revisited, bdsm, christmas, contest, franz mesmer, gift, gifts, haitian voodoo, holiday, hypnotize, james braid, mesmerize, new orleans voodoo, o.m. grey, olivia grey, relationships, romance, sex, short story, steampunk, vampires, victorian, victorian christmas, victorian holiday, voodoo doll, voodoo pin cushion

OMG 2012 BT: Bitten By Books & KINDLE Giveaway!

Join me today over at my favorite paranormal review site Bitten By Books where you could win a KINDLE and this adorable baby Cthulhu, handmade by me!

Rachel and the entire staff over at Bitten By Books have always been so wonderful to work with. When I was on my Steampunk Convention tour in 2011-2012, one of the lovelies from Bitten By Books had a special treat waiting for me in my hotel room. It made my entire stay.

As promised over at Bitten By Books, here is the excerpt from the Wayward Victorian’s Tumblr post on “Mental Illness During The Victorian Era.” Interesting reading!

Hysteria and the Wondering Womb

The idea of the Wondering Womb developed during this time, as madness was associated with menstruation, pregnancy, and the menopause. The womb itself was deemed to wander throughout the body, acting as an enormous sponge which sucked the life-energy or intellect from vulnerable women? (Ussher 74). Thus, women became synonymous with madness, as they were deemed to be emotional and unstable. If a woman of the Victorian era were subject to an outburst (due to discontentment or repression), she would be deemed mad. The word Hysteria became the general term for women with mental illness and cures included bed rest, seclusion, bland food, refrain from mental activities (such as reading), daily massage, and sensory depravation. Though these treatments do not seem too appalling, they were comparable to solitary confinement and would often drive a woman to further insanity.

Anorexia- The Fasting Girls

Anorexia, though prominent for many years prior, was officially recognized as a diseaase in 1873 (Ussher 77).It flourished during the nineteenth century as women wished to exemplify their femininity. In denying food, a woman could truly be passive and become a weightless accessory for her husband. The physical and spiritual ideal of anorexia also became a status symbol for many women. Working class women had to eat in order to have energy to work. Thus, only middle to upper class women could afford to be anorexic. Cures included being admitted to an asylum where women rested and were excessively fed.

Nymphomania

The idea of nymphomania developed during the Victorian era. One-third of all patients in Victorian asylums suffered from this mental illness. It was described as an irresistible desire for sexual intercourse and a “female pathology of over-stimulated genitals” (Goldberg 80). Nymphomania included much more than a simple sexual drive, however, as it was also associated with a loss of sanity. It was described as an “illness of sexual energy levels gone awry, as well as the loss of control of the mind over the body” (Goldberg 86) and included women who allowed their bodies to become subject to uncontrollable movement as nymphomaniacs “threw themselves to the floor, laughed, danced, jumped, lashed out, smashed objects, tore their clothes, grabbed at any man who came before her” (Goldberg 89). It was also believed that those who suffered from this madness would, without treatment, eventually become a raving maniac, robbed over her mind (Goldberg 87). A woman could be placed in an asylum for nymphomania if she was promiscuous, bore illegitimate children, was a victim of an assault or rape, was caught masturbating, or suffered from man-craziness, a term used during this time period to describe flirtatiousness. When a woman was brought to the asylum, she was subject to a pelvic exam where the doctor claimed she had an enlarged clitoris the size of a penis. Upon later inspection if the clitoris had returned to its normal size, she would be released and deemed cured. Cures for nymphomania included separation from men, bloodletting, induced vomiting, cold douches over the head, warm douches over the breasts, leeches, solitary confinement, strait-jackets, bland diet, and occasional clitorectomies. 

Read the rest of “Mental Illness During The Victorian Era” on The Wayward Victorian’s Tumblr blog. Then, like and reblog the post. Please, do follow The Wayward Victorian and me, SteampunkGrey, on Tumblr, as well.

So go on over to Bitten By Books and enter to with this amazing Amazon KINDLE and my amigurumi baby Cthulhu.

There are lots of ways to enter. The simplest way is to just leave a comment over on the giveaway post, but you can enter again and again and again to increase your chances of winning! The ways to do this are explained over at Bitten By Books and done through Rafflecopter, but examples are sharing on social networks and purchasing books. There is no purchase necessary, of course, and there are many ways to enter without buying a thing. In fact, go straight to Rafflecopter to access the entry form, if you’d like.

However, the holiday season is coming up, and what better gift for the reader in your life than an author-signed book?

Just saying.

-_Q

Join me tomorrow….

Tuesday, November 27: Straight From Hel

Gothic Victorian Holiday Giveaway

Win an author signed copy of all three of my titles

Avalon Revisited, The Zombies of Mesmer, and Caught in the Cogs

PLUS a golden Voodoo Doll Pin Cushion, handmade by me

Gift wrapped, Victorian Style

Adorned with a wax seal & handmade gift tag

Ready to put under the tree for your favorite adult reader

Click here for the entire O. M. Grey 2012 Blog Tour Weekly Schedule

Filed under: Events & Contests Tagged: amazon, anorexia, asylum, author, avalon, avalon revisited, baby cthulhu, bdsm, bitten by books, blog tour, book, convention, cosplay, cthulhu, h. p. lovecraft, hysteria, kindle, london, lovecraft, mental illness, misogyny, non-monogamy, nymphomania, o.m. grey, olivia grey, passion, relationship advice, relationships, romance, sex, steampunk, vampires, victorian, wondering womb

The Zombies of Mesmer (Podcast) – Chapter 4

Follow Nicole Knickerbocker Hawthorn (Nickie Nick) as she discovers her destiny as The Protector, a powerful vampire hunter. Ashe, a dark and mysterious stranger, helps Nickie and her friends solve the mystery behind several bizarre disappearances. Suitable for teens, enjoyed by adults, the story is full of interesting steampunk gadgets, mad scientists, bloodthirsty vampires, and mesmerized zombies. This paranormal adventure is sure to appeal to fans of Boneshaker, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and The Vampire Diaries.

The Zombies of Mesmer is a Gothic Young Adult Paranormal Romance novel set in Victorian London.

Appropriate for teens.

The Zombies of Mesmer – Chapter 4.

Download: ZM_Podcast_CH4.mp3

Buy your copy of The Zombies of Mesmer via Amazon or Barnes & Noble in paperback, and it’s also available in digital format exclusively for the Kindle at Amazon.com (Kindle Select – Free for PRIME MEMBERS).

Also available: Author-Signed through the publisher.

-_Q

Fiction Podcast

Including Avalon Revisited, short fiction and poetry, and The Zombies of Mesmer

Subscribe in a reader …. or in iTunes

 

Filed under: Podcasted Fiction Tagged: audiobook, author, avalon, avalon revisited, bdsm, bdsm erotica, bdsm erotica novel, bondage, boneshaker, book, buffy, buffy the vampire slayer, ecstasy, england, erotic, erotica, hyde park, london, masochism, o.m. grey, olivia grey, paranormal romance, passion, podcast, podiobook, poet, renaissance, sadism, sado-masochism, steampunk, teen, teen romance, vampire diaries, vampires, victorian, zombies, zombies of mesmer

O. M. Grey 2012 Blog Tour: Win a KINDLE!

Each day this week, I will be visiting a different blog and giving away something different than the day before. I’ll be tracking the tour on here as well, with an excerpt from the guest post and picture of the giveaway, so you know exactly where to go and what to do. Something new every day, so please follow along and participate.

Please help me spread the word by sharing on your social networks. Add my books to your “to read” list on Goodreads, and if you’ve read my work, please consider giving them a short review on Goodreads and Amazon.com. Find all my Amazon titles from THIS LINK to navigate there easily to give your review.

O. M. GREY 2012 BLOG TOUR SCHEDULE

Sunday, November 25: Bitten by Paranormal Romance: Novel Excerpts

Book Promo Giveaway

Win an author signed copy of

The Zombies of Mesmer

OR, if you like your romance steamier

Avalon Revisited

Your choice!

Monday,  November 26: Bitten by Books: Lunatics in London

KINDLE GIVEAWAY 

PLUS an amigurumi baby Cthulhu, handmade by me!

Lots of ways to enter and win!

RSVP today for an extra 25 entries to the contest.

Tuesday, November 27: Straight from Hel: That Voodoo That You Do

Gothic Victorian Holiday Giveaway

Win an author signed copy of all three of my titles

Avalon Revisited, The Zombies of Mesmer, and Caught in the Cogs

PLUS a golden Voodoo Doll Pin Cushion, handmade by me

Gift wrapped, Victorian Style

Adorned with a wax seal & handmade gift tag

Ready to put under the tree for your favorite adult reader

Wednesday, November 28: Savvy Verse & Wit: Fiction/Poetry Podcast

Book & Poetry Giveaway

Win an author-signed copy of

Caught in the Cogs: An Eclectic Collection

PLUS a copy of “New York Rain”

penned longhand by the poet

matted, ready for framing

Thursday, November 29: STEAMED!: “Hannah & Gabriel” Short Story

Book & Tiara Giveaway

Win an author signed copy of

The Zombies of Mesmer

PLUS a beautiful creation made from clock hands by EPJ Creations

(can be worn either as a tiara or a necklace)

Friday, November 30: Romance Junkies: Avalon Revisited Podcast

Book Promo Giveaway

Win an author-signed copy of

the steamy steampunk erotic romance

Avalon Revisited

An Amazon Gothic Romance Best-Selling Novel

Saturday, December 1: Goodreads Giveaway x 6!

BOOKS! BOOKS! BOOKS!

Avalon Revisited x2

The Zombies of Mesmer x2

Caught in the Cogs x2

All author-signed & shipped to your door!

Enter any day this week. Last Day to enter: 12/01/12

TODAY! Visit me at Bitten by Paranormal Romance for a Book Promo Giveaway.

This is going to be a splendid week!

-_Q

Filed under: Events & Contests Tagged: amazon, amigurumi, author, avalon, avalon revisited, baby cthulhu, bdsm, bitten by books, bitten by paranormal romance, blog tour, book, buffy, buffy the vampire slayer, calligraphy, caught in the cogs, Christine rose, christmas, clock hand tiara, contest, crochet, cthulhu, gift, holiday, kindle, love, nickie nick, non-monogamy, o.m. grey, olivia grey, open, open marriage, paranormal romance, passion, podcast, poem, poet, poetry, polyamory, relationship advice, relationships, romance, romance junkies, savvy verse and wit, sex, short story, steamed, steampunk, straight to hel, the zombies of mesmer, tiara, vampires, victorian, voodoo doll, voodoo pin cushion, win

RSVP for a Kindle & Baby Cthulhu

My blog tour starts tomorrow and lasts all week long! Each day, I’m giving away something new.

Follow this link today and RSVP for the Kindle Giveaway at Bitten By Books. The actual event is on Monday, and there are lots of ways to rack up entries, and if you RSVP today, you’ll get 25 extra entries for an event greater chance of winning!

RSVP HERE!!!

Come back tomorrow for the full blog schedule. It’s going to be a great week!

Filed under: Events & Contests Tagged: amazon, author, avalon, baby cthulhu, bitten by books, contest, cthulhu, giveaway, kindle, o.m. grey, olivia grey, steampunk, vampires, victorian

Responsible Community Response (Podcast)

Episode 47: Responsible Community Response (Podcast).

**Trigger Warnings** This podcast discusses sexual assault and rape.

Many people just don’t know how to respond when someone comes out and says they’ve been assaulted. They fall into what culture has shown us, unfortunately for the victim, that culture is a rape culture.

Learn how to appropriately and compassionately respond to a victim of abuse and/or sexual assault. Learn what to say to them to help them feel safe and loved. Learn what to say to the accused.

It’s up to us.

Responsible Community Response (Podcast)

Download: 47_PolyamoryBlog.mp3

Original Blog Post

-_Q

Subscribe to this podcast in a reader …or in iTunes

Filed under: Podcasts Tagged: abuse, austin poly community, austin poly rapist, austin polyamorous community, austin sex positive, author, community, community responsibility, compersion, consent, deception, emotional abuse, enthusiastic, ethical non monogamy, fear, healing, heart, heartbroken, help, honesty, insecurity, insidious, integrity, intimacy, jealous, lie, lies, love, LTR, misogyny, non-monogamy, o.m. grey, olivia grey, open, open marriage, passion, podcast, poly, polyamory, power, rape, rape culture, rape survivor, relationship, relationships, respect, romance, romantic, self esteem, self-protection, sex, sex positive, sex positivity, sexual assault, survivor, trauma, traumatic, trust, tumblr, violence