Mandy M. Roth's Blog, page 89

We Got the Beat (party/club scene)

Snippet from Daughter of Darkness by Mandy M. Roth

We arrived at The Raven almost an hour later. Traffic was terrible, but the ride over was worse. I had assumed that when Pallo said we'd take his car, it would be a car. I was wrong. We ended up riding in the back of a long black limo. The three of us sat there, staring at each other, afraid to say a word. The only time the silence was broken was when the window came down between the driver and us. He wanted to let Pallo know that an important call had come in for him.

The ride took forever. I had never been so happy to get out of a car in my life. The Raven was a huge warehouse that had been converted into a dance club that catered to the supernatural element. I had never actually been there, but I'd heard plenty about it. Apparently everyone else in the city had, too. There was a line that stretched down the block and around the corner. I stood there with my mouth open. Most of the people in line appeared to be in their mid-twenties. Some looked like circus freaks. One man had his hair sprayed green and it stood at least three feet off his head. Around his neck was a dog collar and a chain ran from it to his nose. Yes, he had a chain hooked to his nose. He nodded at me when I looked in his direction. I nodded back.

Ken stepped out of the limo and came to stand behind me. He bent down and whispered to me, "I'll be seeing most of these people in the courtroom soon."

I knew he made a joke, but I didn't particularly like the fact that there was truth behind what he said.

Pallo had walked ahead of us to the main door. He talked to a large man guarding the entrance. He motioned for us to come over. I looked at Ken and he shrugged.

"Looks like the dead have good connections," he said.

"Shut up."

We walked to meet Pallo. He took my arm when I got next to him, and I didn't fight it. The man standing at the door was at least three hundred pounds. I wouldn't have been surprised if he stood seven feet tall. His skin was rich, dark, beautiful. He was mammoth. He wore a black tee shirt that had a picture of a raven on it, and a pair of blue jeans that barely contained his stomach. I noticed that he wore sunglasses. It was almost pitch black out—the glasses were overkill.

"Master Pallo, your table is ready," he said. His voice rocked my body from the bass in it.

"Thank you, Makonnen," Pallo said as he walked through the open doors.

"Thanks." I smiled at him when we went past. I thought he smiled back, but I wasn't sure.

Ken followed close behind us. The place was awesome. Strobe lights flashed all around us. Blue, red, and yellow light beams swirled before my eyes. They seemed to correspond to the music, which pumped through the sound system so loudly it shook my body. A long, black bar ran along the left side. Shirtless men wearing leather pants were busy pouring people drinks. Every barstool was occupied, and the open spaces for the waitresses were crowded with people, too.

One girl pushed to get through the mob. She had a round tray in her hand. She was average height and weight, but had an enormous pair of breasts. They were a little hard to miss, since all she had on them was two tiny pasties with tassels on the ends. She wore a pair of boy-cut silver shorts that let the corner of her butt hang out, and a pair of matching silver go-go boots. Pink frizzy hair puffed out from her head in all directions. Pallo pulled on my arm, and we continued onward.

In the center of the old warehouse was a dance floor. The thing was at least three times the size of my apartment, and looked like it needed to be bigger. People were herded together, bumping and grinding to the music. A large DJ booth was set up directly behind the dance floor. A cage stood on either side of it. Girls in leather string bikinis were dancing in each cage, rubbing themselves against the bars. I shook my head and kept walking.

We reached the back of the club and Pallo guided me into the booth in the far, back right corner. It was L-shaped, and looked like it could seat at least ten people comfortably. I didn't realize until I sat that the tables weren't actually black, they were dark glowing and green, like the booth seat. I found myself sitting between Ken and Pallo. They still hadn't spoken a word to each other since we left my apartment, and I was pretty tired of them acting like babies. Before I could say anything, the waitress with the frizzy pink hair came to our table.

"Pallo." She said his name like she wanted to have sex with it. I stared at him and wondered if he was a regular here. The guy had his own table, for crying out loud.

"Good evening, Angela," Pallo said to her.

Ken looked like he would burst if he didn't say something snide, so I kicked him under the table.

Angela leaned forward and her breasts rubbed on the table next to Pallo. I got a good look at her and was shocked. She had long, fake pink eyelashes on both her top and bottom eyelids. She had big silver eyes. I wasn't sure if they were contacts or her real eye color. From the way she acted around Pallo, I bet he knew.

I tried my best to ignore her, but she was having none of that.

"Pallo, you haven't introduced me to your friends," she said, tracing a finger around her lips as she spoke.

Pallo took a deep breath in, then spoke. "This is my Gwyneth, and her friend Ken." I noticed the emphasis he put on the word 'my'.

Ken quirked an eyebrow. "His Gwyneth?"

I rolled my eyes. Angela took this opportunity to lean in closer to Pallo. One of her tassels touched his face. Her little scene made me nauseous.

"Gee, Pallo, I hate to interrupt the two of you, but do you think we could eat now?" I let my annoyance show.

"No, really, its fine. I kind of like the show," Ken said. I kicked his leg again and he let out a grunt.

"Yes, by all means." Pallo looked at me to order. It took Angela a minute to give up the menu, but she finally did. I decided on a cheeseburger, fries and a soda, and Ken ordered a salad and a glass of water. He was always watching what he ate. When we were engaged he had gotten all preachy on me about my bad food choices. He would go on and on about clogged arteries and high blood pressure.

"Why didn't you get anything?" I asked, looking at Pallo.

He smiled. "My Gwyneth, some things I cannot explain without looking like a monster."

"Oh, I'm sorry, I forgot." The fact that the man survived off human blood had totally left my mind. I reached out to touch his arm.

His other hand came and rested on mine. "It is good to know you can see past some things."

"Couldn't we just order you a raw steak or something? We could all sit around and watch you suck it dry," Ken said. I wanted to crawl under the table. He did everything in his power to be the biggest jerk possible.

To my surprise, Pallo seemed amused with him. He smiled and tipped his head. The annoying waitress headed back in our direction, carrying a tray of drinks. She bent over, laid her body on the table, and gave Ken his water. She just about dropped my soda in my lap. I caught it before it toppled off the table. Then she turned and handed Pallo a large wine goblet. It was full to the brim with the thickest red wine I'd ever seen.

"I brought a little something special for you too, my love," Angela said, handing him his drink.

Pallo actually looked uncomfortable. He shifted uncomfortably in his seat and took the drink from her hands. She made sure to let her fingers slide over his a little too long. She turned and walked slowly away, sashaying the entire way.

Ken leaned over me and looked at Pallo. "When the hell did they start serving blood in here?"

"When they received their liquor license, the state considered their 'special' circumstance and included that, as well," Pallo shot back at him.

"Well, I'm going to have to look into that." He acted like a child who just had to have the last word.

After the day I'd been having, I thought I should have ordered a rum and Coke, but I wasn't sure I could hold my liquor tonight. Angela finally came with our food and more drinks. I hadn't had a full meal in days and was starved. Ken and Pallo both sat and watched me eat.

"What?" I asked, suddenly feeling very self-conscious.

"That stuff's going to kill you," Ken said, his voice loud.

"I doubt that I will go by way of cheeseburger, but concern duly noted," I said, finishing up the last few bites of my meal.

Pallo gave me an odd look. "Do you always eat like this?"

I turned as I wiped the corners of my mouth with my napkin. "I eat when I'm hungry, and I eat what I want. Why?"

"I was just wondering where you put it all. There is nothing to you."

I smiled, and heard Ken cough.

Angela kept popping in with refills for us all. During one of her little passes, she conveniently dropped a napkin into Pallo's lap and reached down to pick it up. Her hand rubbed against his pants between his legs. She had enough nerve to cup her hand around him on the way up. I had had enough of their little petting show. I stood up.

"Move, Ken, I'm going to go dance."

Ken looked at me for a minute, then slid out of the booth. I walked out and felt a little light headed. I put my hand on Ken's for support.

"Hey, you better sit down," he said, and eased me back around him.

"I'm fine, just stood up too fast."

"Gwyneth, wait, I will join you," Pallo said.

Angela practically threw herself on him. His face was buried in her big fake chest. Ken sprayed water out of his nose laughing.

I searched for the snippiest voice I could muster and said, "Well, Pallo, you look a little busy. No, really, don't bother to get up."

That's me, always to the point and forever the sweetheart.

As I walked away, I could feel Angela glaring at me. I didn't care. I pushed my way to the center of the dance floor. It had taken me almost five minutes due to the crowd. I knew Ken wouldn't come out and join me—he couldn't dance. I figured that Pallo was still busy getting felt up by little Miss Pink, so I went it alone.

I moved with the music. It was techno, and I wasn't used to dancing to it, but I managed to get by. Closing my eyes, I let the rhythm dictate how I moved my hips and body. I let myself become one with the music.

Sharon asked me to teach her to dance when we were younger. Whenever we went out to clubs, she would pull me off the floor when I really got into it. She said that I pulled the men out of the woodwork.

After a few minutes, I was lost in music. My mind raced. The music beat so fast I began feeling disoriented. I thought of Pallo's body. I wanted it next to mine. I was actually jealous of the pink frizz getting all of his attention. I wanted him to myself—she could find her own vampire. I called to him in my mind.

Cool hands slid onto my waist from behind. He had come out after all. I'd secretly hoped that he would. He moved his large hands around me so that the front of his body rubbed the back of mine. We moved together with the music. The rhythm got faster and faster and his hips rocked with mine.

His large hands slid up and under my shirt. I shifted my arms and he moved his hands around to my stomach and slid upwards. Reaching around, I grabbed a handful of leather pants and pulled him tighter against my body. I could feel something long and hard hiding in those pants, rubbing against my lower back. Funny, I didn't remember Pallo wearing leather. It didn't matter what he had on, I wanted him. As the music got faster so did we.

My breathing sounded more like panting now, and my face grew hot. He slid his hands up and around my neck. Pulling my hair aside, he kissed me with his cool lips. I felt the tiniest bit of pressure and his teeth sink into my skin. There was no pain. He was so gentle.

When I opened my eyes, I tried to focus. Men and women were dancing all around me. They hung on each other. Some were going at each other's mouths with fury. Tongues were caressing tongues. I thought I saw a man sliding himself into the back of a woman, fucking her not more than four feet from us, but my head was cloudy. I couldn't be sure.

Lips ran over my neck again. I moaned, pulled at the back of his pants. I wanted Pallo now. I wanted our bodies to become one. I needed to have him. My head felt light, airy and my heart beat wildly as he unzipped the back of my skirt, and slid his hand down it. The dance floor was so crowded I was sure that no one would notice the two of us.

"Pallo," I whispered, softly.

He said nothing. He only moved his body with mine. He let his hands continue to feel around and explore my body. My eyes opened and closed as I kept my back pushed tightly against the front of his body. His rigid cock dug into my lower back and wondered what it would feel like to have it in me. He groaned in my ear. My thighs tightened with an anticipated orgasm. My God, the guy was going to bring me by just dancing with me. He was a rare find indeed.

"Pallo," I whispered again, lightheaded. He gripped me tighter, kissing my neck. I looked sleepily ahead of me. The sea of dancing bodies had parted, and I saw Pallo coming for me.

"Pallo?" I tried to keep my head up. He pulled something behind him. I steadied myself and looked harder. A man clung tight to Pallo as he walked, bear-hugging him, trying to keep him from coming to me.

I turned around quickly, and the room spun. I managed to catch a glimpse of a pair of dark, almost black eyes and straight, long, silky black hair. I staggered in an attempt to be free, but the man held me tight to him.

"Grazie, bella mia." I heard the sweet words as I drifted in and out.

"Pallo!" I wasn't sure if I yelled aloud or just in my head. My eyes opened to a room full of ravenous vampires crouched around us, fangs flaring, snarling in my direction. I screamed and tried to lift my head to find Pallo, but it suddenly seemed too heavy.

"They are my children, and this is my establishment. They will not harm you, bella," the man said, his accent thick—thicker than Pallo's. I'd heard that voice before, in the farmhouse, after I'd awoken.

"Who are you?" My eyes closed briefly. When I opened them, some of the circling vampires were being tossed into the air. The dull sensation of a powerful energy came towards me. Pallo's energy hit me with such a force that I felt sick to my stomach. I pushed a thought out to him. I didn't ask for his help, I asked for his forgiveness.

Be still now, Pallo said softly in my head. I let my body go limp in the man's arms.

"It is pointless. She is mine!" The man holding me shouted out into the room. "Oh, Pallo, you should've known I would sense her presence once she was near you."

A gunshot went off. People screamed and ran in all directions. Pallo stood a few feet from me now. I couldn't get my body to move. I wanted to raise my head and look at him. I wanted to reach out my hand to him, but I couldn't.

"Giovanni!" Pallo's voice boomed. "Give her to me."

"Ah, it has been awhile," the man holding me said. He slid his hand over my throat and let it come to a rest.

"Do not come any closer, Pallo. I would hate to have to put a mark on such a beautiful face," he said, caressing my neck and chin slowly. "She is just as beautiful the second time around, wouldn't you agree?"

Pallo took a step towards us and Giovanni squeezed my chin. I raised my face up enough to look at his. He was amazing. He looked like he had just walked off the cover of GQ. His jaw was not too wide and not too narrow. His lips were a pale cherry color. He wore a dark, short sleeved mesh top that showed off his upper body. He was not as muscular as Pallo, but he was toned.

Giovanni met my gaze. Fear gripped me and I began to sweat. I wanted to get away from him. I knew he was evil, but his eyes, they called to me, pulled me.

He didn't want to hurt me. I sensed the struggle within him. I could feel how much he cared for me, and his desperation not to let me go. He glanced down at me, and I begged him to stop with my eyes, tears running down my cheeks.

Two more gunshots rang out. The remainder of the crowd opened wide, and I could see Ken pointing his gun at the ceiling. He held his right arm close to his body.

Pallo moved closer to me. Fingers squeezed my throat, and I moaned in pain. Giovanni bent and kissed my lips before letting go. "I shall see you soon, bella mia," he said, and threw me high into the air.

My body was limp and I couldn't get it to respond to my commands. I tumbled down, and prepared to crash into the floor. Two strong arms caught me and pulled me close. I smelled vanilla and Hugo Boss and knew it was Pallo. I concentrated on his face and pushed my thoughts into his head. I wanted him to know that I was sorry, that I thought it was him, and that I knew that was no excuse for my behavior. I wanted him to know so much. I pushed it all at him as he carried me past the remaining vampires.

I heard Angela's voice next to me. "Now you are back where you belong."

Pallo growled at her and she backed away, smiling at me. I knew she had something to do with this. I also knew I wanted her dead.

Ken came beside me. He clutched his arm to his body. Blood soaked the front of his shirt.

Pallo and Ken loaded me into the back of the limo. Pallo sat and lifted my head onto his lap. Ken sat on the seat facing us, still holding his arm. I wanted to ask if he was okay, but I couldn't seem to speak.

"She wants to know if you are all right," Pallo said, watching Ken and stroking the hair from my face.

Ken's eyes widened. "She hasn't said a word. Look at her, she's practically catatonic."

I knew Pallo had read my mind, and for once I was okay with it. He said nothing, but continued to pull my hair back from my face, away from my neck. He gasped.

Ken looked up. "Shit, he bit her. We need to get her to the hospital."

"No!" Pallo interjected. "No, she will not be safe at a hospital."

"I'll get her police protection. She needs to go. Look at her, something's wrong with her."

"The police cannot protect her from Giovanni and his people. He will come for her, and when he does humans will learn firsthand that vampires and demons exist among them. And I think we both know that there is not a cleanup crew in the world big enough to hide a massive supernatural strike." Pallo continued to run his fingers through my hair.

"Then we'll take her somewhere far away from here. Somewhere this Giovanni prick can't find her." Ken leaned towards me and I thought I saw tears in his big brown eyes.

"He has put his teeth into her skin during passion. He can find her anywhere. He will be able to pull her to him. She will not be able to stop herself."

"Bullshit! I can't accept that," Ken said.

"It took her many years to break his hold on her. I do not know if she is strong enough to do it twice."

Ken looked at Pallo. "What the hell are you talking about? Gwen doesn't know that guy."

"Yes, she does. Her mind may not remember him, but her body does." There was a bitter sound to Pallo's voice.

"In English, please."

"Do you love her?"

Ken sat there and looked at him. The thought of Ken loving anyone was so funny. He glanced at Pallo and answered him. "Yes, I love her."

"I will do my best to protect her from him, but you will have to trust my judgment. Do you understand?"

"Do you go out of your way to not make sense?" Ken asked. "When you told me to get Gwen, how did you know something was wrong?"

"When I realized that our drinks contained something a little extra special," Pallo said.

"How'd you know?"

He chuckled, lightly. "Angela looked attractive to me," Pallo said. "I have known her for over a hundred years and in that time she has never once appealed to me."

"I don't think they could have sneaked anything into my water." Ken leaned back against the seat, taking this all in.

"Do you normally go about the city shooting yourself in the arm?" Pallo asked, voice barely above a whisper.

I couldn't believe what I'd heard. Ken shot himself in the arm? Impossible. The man went to the shooting range twice a week and was an expert marksman as far I knew. He lived and breathed guns.

"No. No, I don't." Ken sighed. "You're right. When will hers wear off?"

"I do not know."

A cool breeze tickled the tiny hairs on the back of my neck.

"You may rest now. I will come soon." Giovanni's voice filled my head. Tonight marks a new beginning for us, bella.

Pallo slipped his arm around me tightly and I passed out.

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Author Dee Tenorio, Interview by Michelle M. Pillow

Author Dee Tenorio, Interview

By Michelle M. Pillow, www.MichellePillow.com

Dee Tenorio has a few reality issues. After much therapy for the problem—if one can call being awakened in the night by visions of hot able-bodied men a problem—she has proved incurable. It turns out she enjoys tormenting herself by writing sizzling, steamy romances of various genres spanning paranormal mystery dramas, contemporaries and romantic comedies.

Her newest Paranormal Romantic Suspense series, "The Resurrection," delves into the world of wolf shifters. "Tempting The Enemy" (Book 1) and "Deceiving The Protector" (Book 2) are currently in stores.

* * * * *

Q: What inspired you to write your newest release, Deceiving The Protector?

Dee:Is it too simple to say I'm a "Dog Person"…well, not THAT way, lol. I've been reading about shifters for a while, always assuming it was something I couldn't really do, but really admired. Then one day, I got an idea about a shifter running for her life, because as strong as she was, there was something even more powerful, something inevitable, after her. Once I got started, there was no stopping the story, which takes a great amount of its world from history. Mankind has never been kind to what it doesn't understand and shifters would fall into that category very easily. I haven't looked back since. [image error]

Q: When world building, did you base your story off of known myths throughout history?

Dee:Not a myth, actually, but history, yes. The Resurrection series is actually stories of survival, about genocide gone unchecked and how far people will go to stay alive. I'm a Native American and I was brought up learning about the eradication of my culture and the systematic way it was achieved. Then, my Mother worked in a Jewish Temple, which was one of the greatest places to learn about a culture so completely different than anything I've ever known. I'd always been into history, but learning about the Holocaust from survivors and their children…well, that definitely stayed with me and I wanted to imbue my characters with the strength I saw in true survivors.

Q: What myths or legends inspired you?

Dee:LOL, well, not directly, but it's always been one of my favorites, Hades & Persephone—dark, powerful hero, heroine standing up to him. There's a LOT of that in this book. [image error]

Q: Why do you think readers, and society in general, are fascinated by the paranormal?

Dee:I think most people wish they were stronger, able to do something extraordinary. It doesn't get more extraordinary than turning into a dangerous predator at will. Plus, the heroes tend to be written with a lot of…well, stamina, lol.

Q: What are your favorite paranormal shows, movies and books?

Dee:Hmmm, that's a tough one. I love Shelly Laurenston's shifters—OMG, SOOOO much!—, Nalini Singh's Psy/Changeling series (Can I have a SnowDancer of my very own, pleaaaaase?) and Sherilyn Kenyon's shifters are right up there with Lora Leigh's Breed series for favorite guilty pleasures.

Q: Do you believe in the supernatural? Or are you a skeptic?

Dee:Absolutely I do. I've seen and heard too much not to, but I make it a point to respect things I don't fully understand and most importantly don't want in my house, lol.

Q: Have you ever had a paranormal experience?

Dee:It's more a questions of when DIDN'T we have any. Basically, growing up, we found ourselves in a number of somewhat haunted houses. My family tends to have a certain sensitivity to that kind of thing. Personally, though, it's the "knowing" thing for me. Knowing that things are coming, good or bad, can be somewhat difficult. I can't actively use it, but it has come in handy at the strangest times. The bad thing is knowing something painful or life changing, like losing a family member, is going to happen soon, but having no ability to change the outcome.

Q: What kind of paranormal creatures do you wish you could meet?

Dee:The friendly kind, lol.

Q: If given the chance, would you become a shifter?

Dee:I WANT to say yes, but I don't know that I would. Shifters would have to be very careful in our world. I talk in my sleep. [image error] (Discretion is not my middle name.)

Q: How would you react if you came face to face with a shifter?

Dee:Lots of OMG-ing and then, probably, "Can I pet you?"

Q: What does the future hold for the Resurrection Series?

Dee:Hopefully, several more books. That's the plan anyway. I really want to explore the world, show the other groups that make up the different parts of it. I'm working on Book 3, which is about The Sibile, a group of psychic mercenaries that live a bit like the Amish, in small communities around the world. The males are essentially slaves and though the women are powerful, they aren't that much freer. Really excited about where the story is headed. I'm planning a free read on my site for the spring and at least another two novels after that. That's my hope anyway. [image error]

Q: Have you ever been to a psychic and/or a past life regression? What did they predict for you?

Dee:Nope, I haven't. Well, unless you count my Mom, who took one look at my future husband when he was thirteen and declared he was staying in the family, with a pointed look at me. Mom's good that way. She also calls scores for football scores, but never bets on them. She has morals. Unless you're playing Yahtzee. Then she'll slaughter you by calling the dice.



Q: Have you ever been abducted by aliens?

Dee:I'm guessing my family doesn't count, lol. Nope. My feet have always been planted firmly on the ground. (I don't air travel well, they probably figured that out and moved on.)

Q: Do you plan to continue writing paranormal stories when the Resurrection Series ends?

Dee: Most definitely. [image error] The dark overtones very much fit my writing style and I love being able to interject it with humor and sensuality. Now that I'm here, I think I've finally found a writing home. [image error]



Thank you for joining us, Dee!

To read more about Dee's books, please visit her on the web: www.deetenorio.com Interview by Michelle M. Pillow, www.michellepillow.com

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Weight Loss: Sun check in

So, I started WW on Thurs and selected Sundays as my weigh in days. So, three full days on program. 1lb down! Yay! 39 more to go! Here is a pic of this morning's breakfast choice. Two hard boiled eggs, watermelon, cantaloupe, grapes and a plum.

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Tell it to the Hand (character sass)

Snippet from Loup Garou by Mandy M. Roth

"So, wanna tell me about your relationship with Jay?"

Putting my hands in my front pockets, I walked along next to him and shrugged. "There's nothing really to tell. He's a close friend."

"That's all?" he asked, tipping his head just enough that the sun caught the highlights in his hair, making them look almost purple.

Puzzled, I stared at him. "Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't you come to me for help with something I don't even do anymore? Or was I mistaken? Did you come to ask me non-stop questions about my personal life?"

"I'm sorry. I was under the impression that we were bonding."

I snickered and rolled my eyes. "That would mean that you've shared things about yourself too. You've shared nothing. Who are you currently fucking?"

He came to a grinding halt. "Excuse me?"

"Oh, I could have sworn you were trying to find out if I was sleeping with Jay so I thought turnabout was fair play."

His brows drew together as he cleared his throat. "I've been in and out of situations with women that can't possibly qualify as a relationship. Currently, I'm not seeing anyone—yet," he added, locking gazes with me. "I'm pushing thirty-one, have been into music since I was kid. My closest friends are my band mates. Growing up, I had the biggest crush on this girl who had such a lust for life it was infectious. That's about it for me." He pointed at me. "Your turn."

"I'm not sleeping with Jay. Technically, I am if you count him staying over but he only does that on rare occasions and he's normally in the guest room. But as far as actual intercourse goes, we've not been using one another for sex for quite some time now." His eyes widened. I was on a roll so I went with it. "I have had a relationship that certainly counts as one. Any other males who have entered my life have been 'just browsing' without the option to buy. There, now we've bonded." I winked.

For a second he looked so serious, so deep in thought that I found myself instinctively going to him. I put my hand out to him. "Xavs, how much do you really want to bond?"

"You have no idea."

"Want to see my grown up version of dolls, or kind of see them, anyways?"

He laced his hand in mine and heat flared between us. "Yes, Linds. I'd like that very much."

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Weight Loss: Breakfast

I thought I'd blogged this journey and share it with you so when I make bad choices you all can see that too. Here is a quick pic of my breakfast this morning. 6pts for me from my daily allowed. I have a lunch date today w a friend and am very nervous about that. Its not a chain restaurant so I'll have to figure out my choices/points on my own. This really helps that some of my favorite things to eat are fresh veggies and fruit. Hoping that will make this successful for me. We shall see. I also plan to sneak in walking the dog today and most likely 20-30 mins of house cleaning. Its not much but its something and that is key.

 

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Weight Loss: Continued Story

So, most of you know I took off a bunch of weight. If you've followed my blog you know that still isn't enough. I need to lose another 40lbs. Since I've leveled off and can't seem to lose anything more on my own, I went ahead and signed up for a 3 mos trial of Weight Watchers Online. Today was my first day with it. I'll admit there is a bit of a learning curve with the points system but I'm willing to give it a go. I hope you'll all join me on this journey and be there to support me like you've been with the other. I promise to post progress and failures. You know me, no filter.

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MwM Spotlight on Self-Publishing: SM Blooding

Marketing with Mandy Spotlight on Self-Publishing: SM Blooding

[image error]

Q: Please take a minute to tell us a little about yourself.

A: Well, the first thing is that SM stands for Stephanie Marie, but only associates and family call me that. Friends call me Frankie, which is a funny story for another time. LOL! I live in Colorado next to my lovely Rocky Mountains. I love to hike, bike, and I'm trying to learn to play the guitar. That's…not going well.

I've dated a werewolf, almost married a vampire who was also a US government assassin…@_@… and am an investigator with Colorado Paranormal Rescue. Boy, do I have stories!

Q: What prompted you to self-publish your book(s)?

A: Well, I've been down the published route with a few books back in 2005 thru 2007. Then I got the hair-brained idea to traditionally publish my books. I sold the first three books of my Demon Talker series to TLT Publishing in 2011, but I still have more books than I can contract!

I have friends who have self-published and are doing a phenomenal job with it, so I sat down with myself and said, "Frankie, what's going on here, girl-child? You have all these books and even if you tried a gajillion years, there's no publisher in the world that wants them all." But they're all good stories with characters that I loved enough to write about and I want and need to share them with the world.

So I pulled myself off my lazy butt and came up with an insane publishing plan and I'm just going to do this! The industry is really in our favor! Who would have thought that a year ago? Not me.

Q: How has the experience been to date?

A: CRAZY! I sat down and came up with a business plan that should be doable and I think my readers will be happy with it. But to start off, I'm doing almost everything by myself.

I had to sit down and take a very hard look at my budget. As a self-published author, the expense is on me and my $0-checking account. So I had to ask myself: What can you afford to farm out? What are you good at? What do you suck at? What's worth the money? There are a lot of people out there offering services that really aren't worth the investment. But there are other things that, OMW, you really need to find someone else to help with.

Then you have to look at the schedule. *looks heavenward* There are so many things to do! And you need to make sure you have time to do it all without stressing. I quickly found out that the writing is the easy part. LOL!

It's not just about the writing. There's the edits that you have schedule in, and the promoting, and the socializing, and the reading, and the reviewing (which is essential to staying on top of the market while helping your fellow authors) and then there's the helping other authors because the indie authors are a GREAT source for socializing and helping you get word of your books out there. There's just. So. Much. Work.

But the people in the indie side of the industry are fantastic. Whenever I have a question, it's usually followed by, "Oh, Frankie, that's so easy!" LOL!

Q: What do you know now that you wished you knew when you started?

A: I was really fortunate to have some friends who went through this in 2011, so I had a really good idea of what I needed to do and when.

The biggest thing I learned was from Denise Swank. Write a business plan going in and, boy, am I glad that I did. Granted, I'm just starting out, but I feel confident in what I'm doing and the only real anxiety I have is whether or not the readers are going to like my work. Which is exactly what an author should be worrying about.

Q: What tips/tricks do you use for marketing or promoting your own titles?

A: I'm still learning those. Really, it's all about who you know and what kind of a socializer you are. The people I know of that are successful indie authors 1.) write a LOT of books and 2.) talk a LOT on Twitter and Facebook. And…people talk about them a lot on Amazon and Goodreads.

I think the best tip though, is to remember that it isn't just about you. There's a whole world of authors out there trying to make it with you. You support them. Hopefully, they'll support you.

Q: What is one thing you'd want to tell a newer author, just coming into the game?

A: Do. Your. Homework!

And…You ms might be your baby, but even babies need discipline sometimes.

Q: Could you tell us a bit about your latest release?

A: Try Taking Her Down was originally published in 2005 and was written on a family vacation to Mt. Rushmore. Oh, the things we do for our characters, but it was a long drive. Hello, Wyoming? *head desk* LOL!

After Angel's sister commits suicide with Angel's three young children, she swears that things like that will never happen again. She appoints herself vigilante of a group of New York street urchins. Someone has decided these kids need to die. But why? What's the common thread between all these kids? Is it for money or information or something different? And why is it that no one but Angel seems to care?

Except for Detective Kevin Stephens, he's not giving up on this case until he finds out why people would want to kill all these children. But will Angel welcome his help? How many more children will disappear without Angel and Kevin's help?

Q: Can you tell us a little about your current WIP's (works in progress)?

A: Oh my word! This is a crazy year for WIP's. I'm currently going through my final pass through of As Night Falls, which will be launching in March. It was another book published in 2005 and actually made it to the top 10 Erotica Sci-Fi book on Preditors and Editors. Raven's a vampire trying to ensure his race doesn't become extinct in the President's New Order. Becca holds the key to their survival, but she's afraid that if she helps him, she'll lose who she is and is terrified of what she could become.

Another one in the editing stage is The Dustman, which currently has a May launch date, is a cute Urban Fantasy Romance about a dustman who needs someone to believe in him, and a single mother who needs a little less reality and a little more whimsy. Together, they must save Dreamland from being forgotten.

And the last one I'll mention today is The Hands of Tarot, my Steampunk novel which is tentatively scheduled for release in July/August. Captured by the House of Wands and kept as the Queen's pet project, Synn has to find a way to escape before he becomes the secret weapon the Hands can use to take control of all the resisting Families.

The Demon Talker series should be launching this year, too. It s a fantastic series. Demons Are Jackasses has been done for awhile and we've just completed the edits of book 2, Those Damn Angels. I should have book 3 finished in the next couple of months.

Can you say INSANE?! LOL!

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How to build self-confidence in Public Speaking

Public speaking. If you're an author, you will, at some point, be required to do this. I thought the following article would be helpful.

How to build self-confidence in Public Speaking



Self-confidence is a very important thing a public speaker should gain yet many struggle to obtain it. If one does not have enough confidence in him self and takes on the stage to speak in front of many people, tendencies are he might not have the strength to even start his speech, or mess it all up on the way and be embarrassed vowing not to speak in public ever again. It is a good thing self-confidence can be learned and built on by anybody, especially by those who really have the sincere desire to come out from their shell and shine. It's just that attaining self-confidence does not have a short cut. It is a matter of long preparation, practice, and good mind setting.

The first step in achieving such self-efficacy is changing the way you think. Start thinking positively. People who have a low self-confidence are the ones who think "low" of themselves. Control your views about yourself and accentuate the positive. Being optimistic would likewise help. Remember, whatever you perceived yourself to be, it will come to life. If you think of yourself as a very timid and shy person, then you will be one. If you consider yourself someone who has this so called "stage fright," then you will surely have that kind of fear, and will never be able to confidently speak in public. If you are awfully afraid to commit mistakes, then you will definitely make a ton of them. Try foreseeing yourself appropriately dressed up, comfortably standing behind a lectern with a microphone properly held in your hand, uttering the words correctly within the right tone and volume of voice, and executing significant gestures with your other hand in front of a crowd that is so attentive, convinced, and satisfied. You are the master of your thoughts, steer it in a way that would help you be confident and successful.

Then after you have set your mind into thinking only the positive things, think about what is important to you and what your goal is. Once you have discovered what is important to you and set a specific goal in achieving it, you will be inspired or motivated to take action and better yourself. Your speaking assignment is important; therefore your aim is to successfully finish it with a resounding applause or perhaps a standing ovation from your audience. That is more important than the obstacles hindering you from a well-delivered speech — fear, shyness, nervousness, or low self-confidence.

Now, realize your strengths and capabilities; look back to your achievements. Highlight your strengths. Perhaps it would help if you jot down all the things you have accomplished, the successes you have earned, be it very small or great ones. It could be a medal or trophy from high school, or as simple as a "good job" from a teacher or a friend. Write down the good qualities in you; the things other people say you are good at. It could be in the field of sports, culinary, music, leadership, time management, housekeeping, gardening, teaching, or as simple as making friends. Note it all down and you will be surprised how long your list would be.

After you have undergone these steps, you should be ready to commit yourself to success. Obligate your self that you will confidently stand out there and deliver your speech like there is no tomorrow. Do this with willingness. Forcing your self to commit will not help. To be more exciting, try orally promising to yourself in front of the mirror that you will do your part with the best of your abilities. Take this promise to your heart and always bear it in your mind and you will be successful. Good luck!

Journalism English and Writing Skills provides educational materials on Campus Journalism, Writing, the four English skills namely Speaking, Reading, Writing, and Listening.

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Cynthia Eden, Interview by Michelle M. Pillow

Cynthia Eden, Interview

By Michelle M. Pillow

Cynthia Eden is an award-winning author of paranormal romance and romantic suspense. She writes everything from vampire heroines to dragon shifter heroes, demons to succubae. She lives in the South, loves long, hot summers, and supernatural stories. Her latest paranormal romance releases, Eternal Hunter and Hotter After Midnight are available in all major bookstores.

* * * * *

Q: In your book, Hotter After Midnight, your heroine is a psychologist who primarily treats supernatural patients. What inspired you to create such a character?

Cynthia: I was inspired to create Dr. Emily Drake (my monster doctor) because a friend of mine is a psychologist and I've always been fascinated by her job. However, I wanted a paranormal slant on this story, so I decided that Dr. Drake would be psychic—and she'd mainly treat paranormals. When a paranormal crosses the line in my story and begins to kill humans, she's the only one who can profile him.

Q: Why do you think readers, and society in general, are fascinated by the paranormal?

Cynthia: I think people like to believe there is more to this world than meets the eye. For centuries, people have been fascinated by the paranormal—the idea that something "more" may wait in the darkness intrigues us…even if it also makes us afraid sometimes!

Q: What are your favorite paranormal shows, movies and books?

Cynthia: I am a huge fan of Supernatural—I love seeing all the new paranormal characters that are introduced each week. And, of course, I'm also a diehard Buffy fan. Spike is one of my all-time favorite vampire anti-heroes. He blurred the line very nicely for the good guy/bad boy and like so many other folks out there, I found myself tuning in to see how he would develop—and to see if he'd get the girl.

Q: Do you believe in the supernatural? Or are you a skeptic?

Cynthia: I definitely believe in the supernatural. I think there is much more to this world than what we see every day. Psychic phenomenon, past life experiences, ghostly encounters—I think all of that (and more!) are certainly possible in our world.

Q: If given the chance, would you become a vampire?

Cynthia: No, while I do enjoy writing about vampires, the blood drinking would be a turn-off for me.

Q: How would you react if you came face to face with a ghost?

Cynthia: I'd try to communicate with the ghost. Yes, maybe I've watched too many Ghost Hunters episodes, but I'd want to try talking. The ghost would be there for a reason, right? What does he/she have to say?

Q: What does the future hold for your writing?

Cynthia: I've recently launched a new paranormal bounty hunter series for Kensington Brava. The first book in the series, ETERNAL HUNTER, released in January, and the second book, I'LL BE SLAYING YOU, will release in July of 2010. I'LL BE SLAYING YOU is a vamp story. It answers the question, "What happens when you become the thing you hate/fear the most?"

Thanks for joining us, Cynthia!

You can learn more about Cynthia and her books at her website, www.cynthiaeden.com. You can catch Eternal Hunter (1/2010) and the mass market re-release of Hotter After Midnight (12/2009) in bookstores now.

 

Interviewer Michelle M. Pillow is an award winning author of over sixty published books. She writes in many romance fiction genres and can be found at www.michellepillow.com.

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Just One Look (H&H see each other for first time)

Here is a snippet from Paranormal Payload (Project Exorcism 1) by Mandy M. Roth

Captain Sevan Vasil glanced over at his brother and second in command, Jordan. "What?"

"Nothing," Jordan said, his lips pursed and his arms crossed.

It didn't take a genius to tell him his brother was pissed. "Spill it."

"I'm not so sure we should dock here. The planet is not marked on the map and you yourself heard that they are not in the business of giving leave to Commission vessels. And what was that about assuming full responsibility for docking and—"

"And…" Sevan interrupted, "we don't really have much of a choice here. Our fuel tank cracked somewhere back near Margaidia and unless you want to chance piloting a vessel with no fuel and limited life supports all the way home, I'd suggest you get real comfy with the idea of docking here. We'll never make it back to Earth unless we do and you know it."

"Captain, I did not mean to question your authority."

"Cut the shit, Jordan. Don't go all military on me. You and I go back too far for you to try to be stuffy now. I can still remember you in diapers."

"You're three minutes older than me. Of course you remember. You were there too, moron. If you want to start flexing your three-minute-older muscles, let's go…"

The main screen flickered and interrupted Jordan's little rant. Static covered it for a split second before a vision appeared that was so beautiful Sevan had to fight to breathe. Angelic didn't even begin to cover her. Instantly, his heart hammered.

It couldn't be. No. It wasn't possible. She wasn't real, was she?

Sevan couldn't think, couldn't move as he stared at her. The woman was identical to Lorelei. Overwhelmed by emotion, he sat there, breathing heavy and trying to stop the obvious hallucination before him.

The goddess on the screen looked up at him, her royal blue eyes wide, and then glanced down at the control panel before her. "Bugger! How the hell do you turn it on again? If I don't figure it out soon they'll end up stuck in orbit and I am not in the mood to fetch them. The last thing I want to do today is go and tow an arrogant, cocky, too-sure-of-himself man who thinks the universe should bend at his very command…errr… Commission officer's vessel in. I would rather wallow through pikineius dung than retrieve them."

Nice to know where we rank, Sevan thought, chuckling silently.

The hint of an old Earth British accent came through, reminding Sevan of home. They didn't spend nearly as much time among the Free World people on Earth as they'd like. No. Now their days were spent in the Commission, going where they demanded.

The woman before him narrowed her gaze on the control board before her. She was obviously oblivious to the fact the visual communicator was already working. The thought of telling her he could both see and hear her crossed his mind for a millisecond before he decided just to take in the show until she figured it out. Besides, his cock had joined in the spectacle now and its rather hard state demanded he remain still or risk ejaculating in his pants.

Not an option he wanted to take. Though it was hard to keep from yelling out the name Lorelei. The very idea that it wasn't her terrified him. If she were real and if she, too, shared the dreams, then she could be his mate.

Neither man said a word as the vixen before them leaned forward. Her long black hair fell into her face, looking so silky and smooth that Sevan could almost feel it. Bringing a toned arm up, she lifted it away. Her luscious lips pouted outward, as if she were in deep thought.

You're fucking killing me here. You're a hallucination, that's it.

Scolding his mind for placing the vision of his dream lover in place of the actual woman didn't seem to stop the hallucination. Watching the woman only served to make it worse. Sevan had always been a sucker for women who were animated, especially when it came to their lips. Just thinking about how full and lush hers looked made him picture his cock buried in her mouth as he held tightly to her silky hair. Flashes of the erotic dreams he'd been having for months flooded back to him. It was her face he'd seen beneath him as he sank into the paradise of her warm depths. But how could that be? Had their ship blown up after the fuel tank cracked? Was he dead now and left to dream of Lorelei forever?

If you've got to go, ending up envisioning her for the rest of eternity isn't so bad.

The gorgeous woman punched the controls a few more times before rising slightly from her seat. Wearing a tiny black top that came to just above her navel, she was a vision of beauty. His eyes widened as it pulled up to just under her ample breasts. His cock dug painfully into the top of his pants. It would tunnel through the material soon and demand attention from her. Having her with him in bed was the only way he was used to dreaming of her and while this little tit for tat was amusing, he wanted her pussy milking him as he came in her.

Sevan heard Jordan draw in a deep breath and knew that the vision of beauty on the screen was having the same effect on him. A surge of jealousy went through him. Glaring over at his brother, he dared him to have a sexual thought about his woman.

My woman? Great, now I've laid claim to a fantasy woman—again. Next I'll be pulling up various versions of my own harem.

As horny as he was, he'd most likely pop anything inflatable, and the holograms, while stimulating, couldn't take the place of a real woman, so he pushed the thought from his mind. Shifting in his seat, Sevan tried his best to distribute the mass between his legs. If he continued to stare at her, his cock would be hard for a week. No amount of jerking off would ease the pain she would no doubt bring him. As if it wasn't bad enough that he already woke each morning to find his dick so hard he could hammer a steel panel into a wall without further aid, now he would be forced to live out his death staring at her from afar.

She looked so real. Never before had anyone been in his dreams other than the woman on the screen before him. Always ready for him, she appeared to him out of nowhere and with one look each knew what the other wanted. He'd fucked her so many ways that he felt himself blush. He wasn't shy but he wasn't prone to dropping to his knees and licking the sweet pussy of a gorgeous woman who suddenly appeared to him either. He'd done things with Lorelei that he'd never dreamed of doing in real life and she sparked things in him that no one else did. The worst part of it all was that he'd actually fallen in love with her—a dream, a figment of his overactive imagination, a vision that now appeared before him in what he hoped was waking hours. And he hoped beyond hope that she truly was the mate he sought.

"Blasted thing doesn't work. If that li'l Bagardo demon that claimed he fixed this pulled a fast one on me, I'll pull his purple head off and shove it up his lime green…" Jerking her hand away from the control panel in front of her, she winced as a blue spark shot out at her catching her upper arm and burning it instantly.

No, baby, don't ever cross those wires.

Sevan went eerily still. He'd never worried over a woman before. Well, no woman who wasn't related to him or a member of his crew. His cousin had accompanied them on their journey and he worried like hell every time she left the ship.

It shocked him how real and how human the woman on the screen appeared to be. One, if she was real then some deep shit was going on. Dreaming of a woman galaxies away had to have some sort of cosmic ramifications. Mating with her only intensified that. For two, all planets with human or human-like life forms had been mapped out by the Commission ages ago, at least in this quadrant. His luck, she was projecting an image that they'd feel comfortable with long enough to lure them in and then he'd find out that she was really an alien with six heads. That had to be it. She was picking his brain and came up with Lorelei's likeness.

Ah, I hope not.

She tried again to fix the panel. Another blue spark shot out and caught her creamy cheek. Hissing, she grabbed hold of it and winced. Sevan stood fast, reaching for her as if he could really touch her through the viewing screen.

Glancing down, he found Jordan staring at him with an odd expression on his face. Wisely, his brother didn't comment on his concern for the beautiful creature before them. She reached out to try to touch the panel again but pulled away at the last second, allowing Sevan to exhale.

"Christian, can you get this thing to work? I can't seem to get it to respond to any of my commands. I swear it bit me twice already and if it does it again I will shoot it and then recycle its parts into a waste receptacle. The damn thing has a mind of its own and I'm frankly tired of dealing with it. I hate technology and it hates me. It's a rather mutual agreement that is best not tampered with."

"Promise you won't bite me if I get close enough to fix it. Though there are certain places you could nibble if the urge should strike," a very male voice said from off screen.

Sevan's blood ran cold as the beast within threatened to surface. It would control his temper or rather, leave him uncontrollable. He had no right to feel the pang of jealously that now rode him, but he did. He watched as a large arm appeared first, followed closely by a handsome man who looked to be in his mid-thirties. Tattoos covered the man's arms. And upon closer inspection, Sevan saw that the woman had similar markings on her arms as well, although hers were a degree lighter than the male's. In his dreams, Lorelei didn't have any sort of markings on her.

Maybe she just looks a lot like Lorelei—a hell of a lot like her.

The man near her looked as though he'd won the Strong Man of the Galaxy contest several years running. Sevan was not a small man by any standard, but he wasn't quite the barbarian who stood by the tiny woman now.

Christian moved his body around the woman's and let his eyes linger over her cleavage longer than Sevan could stand. His jaw tightened and he felt Jordan's hand on his shoulder.

"Easy now, brother. We've only come to fix the ship."

"Here you go. Just push this button here." The man put his mouth to the woman's ear, whispering something only she could hear. Her cheeks flushed and her body tensed. "Follow that procedure and you'll be up and running in no time. Not that you need any help in the getting things up category."

"Thank you, Christian," she said, shifting in her seat. She glanced up at the screen and apparently was able to see them now as well because she froze. "No." Her tongue darted out and over her bottom lip. That simple act sent chills of pleasure throughout Sevan's body.

"By gods, she's even more beautiful in person."

Her brow creased as her cheeks flushed. Jordan cleared his throat and Sevan realized that he'd not only said that out loud, but she'd heard every word of it. It was his turn to blush.

"Control tower, this is Alpha Brig Three, requesting permission to dock," Jordan said, laughing slightly.

"Perm…permission granted." Her blue gaze locked on his. She seemed to study him, tipping her head slightly and narrowing her eyes. Something clicked and she shook her head as she hit another button and backed away from her seat. "Navigation will now be controlled by our tower. Please refrain from attempting to override this or irreparable damage to your vessel will occur. We will meet you in the loading area momentarily."

Stunned by her rather cold tone, Sevan stared mindlessly at her. She went to cut transmission and Sevan leaned forward fast, not wanting lose sight of her. "Wait. What policy do you have on outsiders?" It was best to know if they regarded them as hostile or not right off the bat. Not that it mattered what she thought, his dick already thought of her as the only place it wanted to reside, and there was no overriding that.

She gave a tiny smile that tugged at his heartstrings before answering. "I think you will find that we're friendly enough. We'll see to it that you're taken care of during your time here today. Come suns set we will not tolerate any excuse causing you to stay on our planet. I take it from the lack of my need for a translator that you speak Earth-English, as do we. That's always comforting. It's rare that any passersby speak our language. Our atmosphere is rich in oxygen so respirators will not be necessary. Our digestive systems are identical to yours so you will find our food adequate to sustain you. All of this leads me to believe that your visit will be most enjoyable." A sad look passed over her beautiful features and Sevan wanted to kiss it away. "Be sure to remain armed though. We are willing to allow you to do so in good trust. We shall not harm you and we expect the same in return."

She cut transmission before he had a chance to ask why he and his men should remain armed. That was an odd request. Most planets they stopped at required them to check their weapons and deactivate any of the Brig's defenses.

"That's interesting," Jordan said, reading Sevan's mind.

"You heard the lady." Sevan pushed the button for the intercom that ran throughout the ship and looked at Jordan. "This is the Captain. We're docking now. Be sure to leave your weapons on and maintain a state of readiness. Travel in groups of two and do not engage without my permission. Anyone who disobeys this command will not have to worry about a court-martial. They won't be alive to stand before the committee."

BUY LINKS and MORE INFO

Be sure to check out the following authors who are also participating in Saturday Snippets!

Megan Hart:Read in bed!

Rhian Cahill

Jody Wallace

Eliza Gayle

Lissa Matthews

Mandy M Roth

Mari Carr

McKenna Jeffries

Myla Jackson

Taige Crenshaw

Delilah Devlin

HelenKay Dimon

Lauren Dane

Leah Braemel

Shelli Stevens

Shiloh Walker

TJ Michaels

Zoë Archer

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