Administrative Ass Covering

Every company does it to a greater or lesser extent. I think it stems from this culture of "I'll sue you if I don't get my way or if there's a chance my suffering can be remotely your fault, or just'cause." But every company hedges their bets, gives non-answers to most important questions and basically, leaves employees guessing.

And lots of companies don't even hire actual employees any more. They hire contract workers. All you're guaranteed is a contract from this date to this date. Which would be great if you could count on start and end dates actually being what's stipulated, but part of the ass covering covers that, too. "According to our business needs" covers a lot of corporate ass, because in the end, one or two people have the final decision on if they are going to extend that contract or even honour the original one, and numbers can be made to do some pretty funky dances. Work inventories can disappear into thin air, budgets can inflate or deflate instantly, staff vacation and overtime can and often are mutually exclusive, no matter what arrangements you'd already made with them. It's amazing how little control a contract worker has over their own life.  It's amazing how many pieces of paper you sign that mean nothing. They don't give you contracts to sign to protect you. Those are to protect them. They don't give a crap about you. You're not even an employee.

Oh how I miss the days of small companies where you sat down every day and ate lunch with your boss and your co-worker because there were only three of you in the room and it would be uber rude not to. How I long for that time, back in the day when I was allowed some creative latitude in my job. When I was given the power to make decisions that might actually affect the bottom line. When I had a stake in making good decisions because bad ones that cost money would get me fired, not because I'd made a bad decision, but because the company couldn't afford me. I could see the direct relation of cause and effect. I could look into my boss's eyes and admit, yes, I screwed up, or she could look into mine and say that was a great decision. Thank you. I'm glad you work for me and not the other guy.

Was it stressful to have that kind of responsibility? Well hell yes, Of course it was. Was it rewarding? Damn right. And I think that's a huge part of the problem with the big-box, centralization mentality of the world these days. No one has a real stake in their own job or the company they work for.

Even kids these days, don't get to see the bottom line in their lives.

By removing the stress of things like winning or losing, we remove their drive to do better, to improve. We deprive them of the chance to feel they've accomplished something grand. Are we saving them a bit of disappointment when they screw up? Well of course. But the corollary is that we also steal their joy when they do good because now it doesn't mean anything any more. Everyone succeeds, so really, no one does.

In my job, I'm measured by two numbers: How many units I move and how accurately I get them done. I think there must be people out there who can look at those numbers and feel a sense of completion and satisfaction when they are high. For me. Not so much. Don't get me wrong. My numbers are decent. I do what I have to do. But gone is the day when I could come home from the day's work and feel like I actually accomplished something. Maybe that's why I write like a fiend. Yes, I count my words and measure some progress by how many I got down on the page that day, but I can also see more than that number. I can look at what I've achieved and say I created something that wasn't in the world before I sat down. I think, something beautiful. Something that matters.

Also, I can count my own bottom line. When I take my royalty check this weekend and go buy my son his first electric guitar, there is no force on earth that will convince me those two little numbers at my day job are even remotely as important as the book I just sold that lets me help my son find his dream. Just sayin'. (And that the last book I released just happens to be about rock stars is icing on that In-Your-Face-Corporatlandia cake I'm feasting on.)

Oh, the Irony of it all...

Most days, I don't have any huge big rants to rant about.
Lot's of little ones, but nothing really huge. Today is Monday, for example. That's a mini-rant. Just that. It's Monday. Ick. Also, I'm not a morning person. Never have been, but Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday I've have to be out of bed by eight AM. If that isn't rant-worthy, I don't know what the hell is. There are many reasons why we home school, and avoiding eight A.M. mornings is one of the really good ones. So four in a row? And over the weekend? Seriously???? Who hates me? What did I do?!?!?

Also, there is the matter of kids. I mean, I'm not ranting about my kids. I love my kids. I'm ranting about the cost of my kids. Had I known they would be so expensive, I might have stopped at cats.

How cute is that?

And he's perfectly happy with a stick or a beam of sunlight. He doesn't need pointe shoes, an electric guitar or a singe hand-held, portable, 3G enabled, web-browsing personal gaming console. A ball or tinfoil will do nicely, thank you, and can I please fish it out from under the stove again. 

This will teach me for wishing, back in the day, that there was some way to have cheap labour to clean their litter and sweep up their shed fur. Kids do that work for free. It's hidden costs you didn't anticipate that get you in the end.

Then there's working for a living. I suppose if I even remotely liked what I do at my day job, it would be different. But, um, well, I took Fine Art in school. I'm a writer. What the hell happened that I have a day job almost exclusively dealing with numbers? How the hell did that even happen???? I didn't take a single math-related course in post-secondary school, and I took as few in high school as I could get away with. And yet? *shakes head* 

The universe must think these ironies are actually funny. Got news for you, you cruel, heartless bitch mistress. I ain't laughin'!!

Thank goodness my home life makes up for it. If I didn't have a husband who supported me hiding in the writing cave most of the day, I'd probably have gone round the bend years ago. So, folks, this is me, having one hell of a time this week, and it's only Monday. What's up with the rest of you? Got some mini rants to share? Some Monday commiseration? Speak up! we're all about having a go at the cruel universe today.

Finding strength wayyy up there….

By Eva LeFoy

While hiking yesterday on my lunch hour I thought about what it means to be strong. Obviously there are different kinds of strength. Emotional. Mental. Physical. I tend to think we all need some of each. So far 2013 has tested all of them for me, and it’s not even June!

So, at five months into the year, what can I add to the discussion on Four Strong Women? Stay the course. Pursue your goals. Continue to try to do the right thing. Those are all difficult things to do when it seems as though the world’s against you, as I’m sure you know.

Right now, my fitness goals seem to be least complicated. Why is that? Well, I suppose it’s because I’m in the most control over them. I can eat what I choose, exercise when I choose and so on. Hiking’s a favorite. I hiked for a good hour and a half on Sunday (Mother’s Day) and had a great time. Hiking for me can be a head-clearing experience. When I’m out of breath and wayyyyyy up on the hills with nothing around me but the sound of the wind through the grass, it tends to make me slow down. Not worry so much about all the hundreds of things I have yet to accomplish. Sometimes I just sit down and enjoy the silence, enjoy being alone for a just a minute. I know it sounds bad, but it’s worth it. Trust me!

Running works too – basically anything that tires me out enough so that I no longer think. I took up running after I quit smoking and yes, DC Stone, it was ugly! But hang in there. You can make it! It must have taken me the requisite six or seven tries, but I finally did it. At least neither of us will be as bad off as my dad who, at age 71 just quit recently after having a heart attack in February and bypass surgery in April. Yep. It’s been a year.

My life’s complicated. It at times feels overpopulated. I sometimes feel outnumbered! Emotionally ready to just give up and break down on the yoga mat. Mentally going a hundred miles an hour. Physically though … I can do. Like I said, when you’re gasping up a hill wondering if your heart’s going to explode out of your chest and the wind’s blowing the grey matter right out of your skull, you don’t tend to worry overly much. Like becomes simple: can I make it to the next tree? Up the next hill? Over that rise?

The answer is YES. And if you need a reminder, give me a holler. I’ll be here waiting for you:

Blessings,

Eva Lefoy

Bio: 

Eva Lefoy writes and reads all kinds of romance, and is a certified Trekkie. She’s also terribly addicted to chocolate, tea, and hiking. One of these days, she’ll figure out the meaning of life, quit her job, and go travel the galaxy. Until then, she’s writing down all her dirty thoughts for the sake of future explorers.

Contact:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Eva-Lefoy/344907072265234 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Eva_Lefoy 

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6656950.Eva_LeFoy

Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Eva-Lefoy/e/B00CE0EY0G

Blog: http://writery.wordpress.com/

Love Your Fluff

By Mary Quast

When I was first married, a size 6, feeling sexy all the time, I didn’t have a problem going to Victoria’s Secret to drop $32 on bra. Fast forward 20 years, three kids later, a bit more fluff and never feeling sexy; my bras became a quick $10 pick up from Walmart. I sat down one day to write a blog giving advice to women on how to feel sexy and bring out the inner sex kitten when I realized it was time to take some of my own advice.

Feeling brave, I visited my local Lover’s Lane store alone. The girls in there knew me by name since I buy a lot of my book promo giveaways from them as well as *cough* research material. They couldn’t get me into the dressing room fast enough to measure me and start bringing me items to try on that would hold my fluff and hide my “defects”. Once relaxed, I enjoyed being treated as a Diva. The texture of silk, satin, lace and leather on my skin enhanced my senses.  Loving the way I felt, I actually enjoyed what I saw in the mirror. I became a woman empowered.

So I dropped $60 on a reversible black and pink corset and $12 on a bottle of sensual lotion, but I found my inner sex goddess. She hadn’t checked out, but was merely sleeping. In a matter of hour I had fun with some amazing ladies and learned to like myself again. Even with fluff, I am still sexy. I highly recommend for a woman who has lost or never had sexual self-assurance to try and find something that will make her feel good about herself and being a woman. It may be a pair of silk panties, a well fitting bra, or even something spiritual.

Read an excerpt of Crow Magic HERE

In my latest book, Crow Magic, my character goes through a spiritual transformation to find her sexual freedom. Be sure to check it out!

Mary Quast is an author of erotic romance with a sensual twist. When she’s not busy writing novels, novelettes, and short stories, she doles out sensual tips and yummy eye candy on her blog “Romantic Interludes” at http://maryquast.blogspot.com/

Visit Mary's website www.maryquast.com 

Do you believe in UFOs?

I do. What can I say? I believe anything is possible, which means I also believe in fairies, mermaids, and whatnot. (As Lily put it so wisely: “We’ve explored less than 5% of the ocean. How can we say they do not exist?” And, yes, she is her mother's daughter. LOL) I may not see them or hear the fairies, much to my dismay, but possibly a good thing, but I still believe in the magic of the world. It can exist whether I see it or not. Matter of fact, much about the world is magic as there are many things our “science” cannot explain.

But I digress. Back to UFOs.

I ask this because one of my FB friends (whom I’ve known since HS, so long before FB) posted a picture of what she claims to be a UFO. It looks like a cloud to me, but I could be missing something. That being said, the other weekend when we were coming home from my mother’s, I saw a flash of what I assumed at first was a plane in the sky. We were on the 405 driving south almost to the Galleria (so a highly populated area) when I saw the flash. It flashed a second and third time. Again, I assumed it was the sun glinting off the plane’s wings, but when I looked again a few seconds later, there was no plane, no glint, nothing but blue sky. Nothing anywhere near or far in the sky for the eye to see. Even now, I wonder if I was seeing things, but, instinctively, I don’t think so.

Los Angeles is a hot spot for UFO sightings, although I’ve never seen them, until possible a few weeks ago. Although there were a few nights in a row where I woke to a really loud sound/vibration. It was unlike anything I had heard before. And the sound was so deep I could feel the vibrations in my bones. I will freely admit it scared the bejeezus out of me. Unlike a plane where you hear it approach and leave, this would just “show” up and then disappear after 5-10 minutes. It was creepy. Needless to say, I didn’t sleep very well. Was it a UFO? I have no idea. I don’t even know if others heard it or not.

Now, I’ve dreamt about aliens a few times. Sometimes, they are nightmares. (Think apocalyptic.) Others have friendly aliens who look like us but are far more advanced, wise, and peaceful. (So, yes, a lot more advanced.) The last dreams I hate waking up because the dreams are so beautiful and the prospect for life on Earth is amazing. Wars are ended, and there is peace. Yes, quite Utopian.

The beings are beautiful, and not just physically. See, I’m enamored of those. The ones in the nightmares? Not so much. LOL

On Monday, Lily went to the California Science Center for a homeschool class on the universe. They talked mainly about our galaxy and the planets in it. One planet all of us have been fascinated with for centuries is Mars, aka The Red Planet. It’s called the red planet because it’s full of iron. How do we know this? We’ve been calling it the red planet for years (perhaps what it looks like through a telescope? I’ve never had a powerful enough one to actually view it), long before Rover visited it. So, where did our knowledge of its composition come from? (By the way, the colors of the other planets are from thermal imaging. Their actual colors are still unsure. They also use filters that allow them to better “see” the planets.) We have the rock planets and the three ice giants, Jupiter, Saturn, and Uranus. There are also the “gas giants.” That group includes Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. The only other planet we’ve visited is Mars, so, again, how do we know what these planets are made of? Is this just theory? If so, how can we state/present any of this as fact, besides where the planets are located in the solar system?

Obviously, I have a lot of questions, which require a lot of research. In turn, that requires a lot of time. (Time… Time… Free time… What is free time?)

Again, I digress.

I used to watch the series Ancient Aliens. While I still find some of the episodes and ideas fascinating, I’ve grown tired of the series as a whole. I still believe in aliens and UFOs, but I want more from the series, and I doubt I’m going to get it. Actually verifying that aliens/UFOs are real might be too much for the general populace to handle. I don’t know their reasoning, but I’m sure it’s something stupid like that. Just like Finding Bigfoot. I have grown tired of that one too. Surely, they’ve caught something more than answering calls on audio. The worst part for me is the build up to… nothing.

So, what are your thoughts? Do you think UFOs/aliens exist? Or are you in the camp that we are the only sentient being in a space where no one knows how many galaxies/universes there are? (See how I find this last belief mind boggling? I am not making fun of it; I just can’t wrap my head around it. LOL)

A Real Husband by Nita Wick -- A Review

On occasion, I will write a review. I don't read often (although I am reading more of late.) I purchased this copy. Ms. Wick did not request a review. :)

A Real Husband by Nita Wick -- A Review

This is Nita Wick’s first novel she ever wrote. Not only is it the first, it’s a historical. Historicals, in my opinion, are one of the hardest genres to write effectively. Not only do you have the plot and character development to consider, but you have to be historically accurate. Why? Because most of the readers who love historical romance/historical fiction love history and will most likely know the history of that time. One incorrect fact and we will spring upon it. It will drive us nuts, and we will never read that author again because, well, we can’t trust the author to get facts right. (This is one of the reasons I avoid historical films. Hollywood is notorious for bending history to their view.)

A Real Husband is a wonderful historical work. Set in the mid 18th century, Nita creates a perfect balance of modern sensibilities while retaining mores and viewpoints of the time period. Angelina Winston is the only child of an earl and the heiress to a thriving estate. However, she’s very young and her father is about to die and her bumbling uncle will become her guardian and overseer of her estate if she is not married off before his death. In order to save the estate from certain ruin, the twelve-year-old Angelina is married to the son of her father’s best friend’s son Darien Hawkesworth. Hawk has no wish to be married. He is, after all, only twenty-one, but he is given no choice.

For the next seven years, he ignores his bride. Angelina grows into a competent, intelligent, resourceful, opinionated, beautiful young woman. A young woman who knows her own mind and is used to doing as she pleases… within reason, she is very easy to relate to. I liked her a lot and rooted for her from the beginning. She’s not perfect and has her moments, but this is what makes her so appealing. Even when I want to shake her, I can see her point.

Hawk is handsome and not necessarily likeable at first. He’s the typical, arrogant nobleman: used to getting what he wants from everyone with little thought to anyone else.

My favorite scene is their first “sex” scene. This one left a lasting impression on me. At first, I was concerned it would end up being one of those sex scenes where the hero forced himself on the heroine and she enjoyed it, because, you know, no really means yes. That it did not was a very pleasant surprise. If it had, I would have stopped reading the book completely and it would have been a shame to have missed the rest of Angelina and Hawk’s story.

While this story is not new or revolutionary, it is very entertaining and well told. The characters are believable, the character development is well done, and the history is accurate. In short, a book well worth reading.

Nita has a book with Freya’s Bower (one of my publishing houses). The Wagonmaster has won a Laurel Wreath. I didn’t edit it nor have I read it… yet, but after reading this one, her debut novel no less, I will be reading The Wagonmaster next. I anticipate a very enjoyable five or six hours. ☺ (Update: I read this over the weekend and could not put it down. Fabulous book! There’s a good possibility that I will write a review for that, too.)

A Real Husband by Nita Wick

Blurb:

Married for years in name only, Angelina longs for A Real Husband. Hawk is pleasantly surprised to find his young bride has become a beautiful, full-grown woman, and he is ready to leave his life of debauchery for the arms of his tempting wife. But a mysterious villain plots murder to end their romance and spoil their dreams of happiness. Can Angelina unravel the conspiracy in time to save her husband and their future? Is it already too late?

Where to buy:

Amazon
Barnes and Noble
Passion in Print (author makes more from direct publisher sales)

Just Say No with D.C. Stone

“I’m gonna slit her throat if she doesn’t shut up.”

“Perhaps he won’t mind the broken nose.”

“Right now, I just wanna scream!”

Sound a little violent?  Yeah, well that’s how I felt a few days ago when I decided to quit smoking. 

*Cue the cheers*

I may smile and nod when people say, “Congratulations,” or “Good for you!” but really, I’m on day six and I’m still struggling with the want, need, desire, or craving to pick up that almost three inch (that’s what he said) rolled up tobacco goodness and take a long, deep inhale. 

Needless to say, between my day job as an Internal Investigator, the sexy muse as a romance author, an editor for several pieces pending publication, and a commuting-mom-there-is-a-baseball-game-oh-crap mother, I haven’t had a whole lot of time to think about what my body is going through. So, in my spare time this morning (wait, what’s spare time again?) I looked it up. I mean, I know what I feel, which is more energetic (that’s a welcome addition), productive, and for some strange reason, I wake up rested in the morning now, instead of wanting to hit the snooze button some ten or fifteen odd times.

 

Mr. Internet told me, on several websites, that my body has already experienced several changes. My blood pressure is lower, carbon monoxide is out of my system (yuck!), I’d test nicotine-free, and apparently, my taste buds have recovered. (Trust my hips when I say I had no problem with food before.)

However, while the health benefits sound pretty on paper, and yes, the additional energy is a huge help, in my mind, it is still friggen day six of no cigarettes. Keerist! I know though, that without a doubt, I will not pick up another one today or tomorrow, or the day after.  Want to know how I do it?

My children, both of them, root me on day after day, telling me how proud they are and allowing me to explain to them just how bad it is for them should they ever want to take it up. In a roundabout way if you look at it, I quit for them. In the long run, it helps them.  When I have a four-year old and an eight-year old asking why I smoked, and why I quit, it’s a revelation.  And I am sure you are sitting there saying, “Yeah, yeah, Deserie, but that doesn’t tell me how you did it.”

You’re right.

I’ve tried it all. The gum (which isn’t really gum), the patch, prescription drugs, lollipops, it all.  What worked for me, and trust me when I say I have absolutely no willpower, was cold turkey. I didn’t plan it, but I did it anyway.  Smoked my last cigarette last Thursday, May 2, 2013 at eight o’clock at night while sitting on the phone with a friend who was encouraging me to try and stop.  The next day, oddly enough, I woke up with a severe head cold, and while I have heard several stories about people getting sick when they quit smoking, for me, I thought this was too soon to be related.  Now, of course, at day six, I am sick again, and this time I do think it’s related.  I drank a ton of water on Friday, and kept chewing gum.  And while everyone is concerned about gaining weight when they quit, I actually gave in to my body’s craving and snacked.  Not a lot, but just enough that I wasn’t an absolute b-i-t-c-h.  I can always lose the weight through exercising, but can I really grow a new pair of lungs or a heart should those cease working for me?

No.

And really, what’s more important than your life.

So, as a recent smoker who has decided to take that step, I’ll tell you this.  You can do it.  Yes, it’s going to be hard. Yes, it will be a damn pain. However, you, my dear strong, beautiful woman, can do this.

Feral Craving

Blurb: Bari has always felt a presence lurking deep inside of him, waiting to get out.  After being injured in Iraq, where he was in-service with the Special Forces Team, he suddenly finds himself thrust back into his hometown, forced to face his past, and finds that what’s lurking inside of him is real, waiting, and running out of patience fast.  What happens as the evil of his past merges with his wants of the future?  What happens when the man and beast inside crave a female from his past?  What happens when Bari learns that he is anything but human?

D.C. Stone is an e-book author and full-time fraud investigator when she isn’t diving into the world of Fiction. 

She lives in the north-east with her incredibly supporting husband, two kids, and the all American black Labrador puppy. She’ll deny any association with the grumpy cat that also resides in the house, but he is there, never-the-less.

After serving eight years of service with the United States Air Force, she went on to transition into the world of Financial Crimes and became a lead investigator for many years. 

Reading has always been a passion of hers, getting lost in a good, steamy romance one of her favorite past times. That passion took a back seat as soon as she discovered her own love for writing and recreating her own stories and characters.  Her writing concentrates on Romance with specifics in Paranormal, Suspense and Erotica.

  Now, when she isn’t trying to solve a new puzzle in the world of fraud, she is engulfed with coffee, her laptop, and all those crazy characters in her head. Trying to keep up with that crazy bunch is a skill many would yearn to have.

She is a member of the Romance Writers of America, New Jersey Romance Writers, and the Liberty State Fiction Writers. Come stop by on Facebook, Twitter or her website and say hello! 

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/authorDCStone

Twitter: https://twitter.com/DCStoneauthor

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6541023.D_C_Stone

Website: http://www.authordcstone.com

Nitrogen

Please help us welcome Terri Talley Venters, author of Carbon Copy and a new paranormal romance Copper Cauldron.

~ ~ ~

Nitrogen

by

Terri Talley Venters

Ida ran late for her 11 a.m. tour of the Ponce De Leon hotel in St. Augustine, Florida. She only needed to descend three flights of stairs to get from her corner room in the tower to the start of the tour in the grand entrance. But today, as most days, she needed to drag herself out of the bed.

She cursed herself for staying up so late dancing and drinking with her friends. Her husband, Henry, yelled at her and made her go to her own room before the sunrise. "But this is the beginning of the season. I want to stay up and watch the sun rise at the Castillo de San Marcos," Ida recalled pleading her case.

Looking down at her ivory lace dress, she admired the intricate stitching of her new frock. Her corset cut into her ribs. She didn't remember putting it on this morning, nor did she recall removing it last night. These lapses in her memory concerned her, but not as much as they concerned her husband. She found huge blocks of time, hours or days, often unaccounted for. She blamed the spirits for this, while Henry blamed the opium.

She felt the broach at her throat and wished she had a mirror in her room to ascertain if her appearance proved acceptable for society. Damn you, Henry. Why did you take my mirror away? I'm not crazy. I won't hurt myself.

Ida found her way to the grand entrance to find the tour already in progress. Stephanie always spoke during the tours, while Ida merely helped guide the crowd of guests throughout the hotel. Ida tried to speak on occasion, especially when Stephanie said something wrong. But Ida's corrections were always met with strange looks, like she was crazy.

Outside in the courtyard, Ida spotted the group as Stephanie said, "Notice the centerpiece of the fountain is actually the hilt of the sword turned upside down."

Ida smiled at the beauty and uniqueness of the fountain in the courtyard of her husband's famous hotel in Florida.

The group poured back inside the grand entrance. Ida looked in horror at the wardrobe of the hotel's guests. She'd never seen the latest fashions from Paris, but it shocked her to see so many women showing their knees.

Ida followed at the rear of the group as they turned right into the receiving room. She loved this room because it was the only one which never changed. And the magnificent Tiffany chandeliers hung down the long length of the room. Her favorite part of the tour was next.

"When guests first arrived at the Ponce De Leon, the women and children were brought in here while their husbands paid for the hotel. Back then, woman were not allowed to be involved in financial transactions," Stephanie said.

"How much are these Tiffany chandeliers worth?" a guest asked.

"The Ponce De Leon hotel converted to Flagler College in 1968. Many items were sold, but not these chandeliers and the stained glass windows. We had these chandeliers appraised a few years ago, and because of their rarity, they are truly priceless. The Tiffany stained glass windows upstairs in the dining hall were appraised at $36 million," Stephanie said.

Stephanie led the group to the other end of the long room. She pointed at the glass casings containing photographs of Henry Flagler and his family.

"Here is a photograph of Henry's first wife, Mary Harkness. She died young, and Henry married her nurse, Ida Alice Shroud, who is photographed here. Henry had Ida declared insane and kept her locked away in the tower until she was institutionalized in 1899. In 1901, Florida passed a bill making incurable sanity grounds for divorce. Henry immediately divorced Ira who remained institutionalized until her death in 1930. In 1901, Henry married his third wife, also named Mary, who is photographed here," Stephanie said.

"It's a lie! I'm alive and I'm standing right here. I'm not dead and I'm not crazy," Ida shouted.
All of the guests in the room heard her this time. They turned and looked at Ida. But they didn't seem to be looking at her. Instead, they looked through her.

"Did anyone else hear that? I thought I heard someone screaming right in front of me," one of the guests said.

"I heard something too. And it is freezing right here in this spot. Look, I can see my own breath," another guest said. She exhaled her breath into the air to demonstrate it turning into white smoke from the cold.

"It's from the nitrogen in the air. When ghosts appear, they carry a strong dose of nitrogen with them. It's what makes it feel so cold when they're near," Stephanie said.

"Excuse me, did you say ghost?" the guest asked, instinctively stepping away from the cold spot.

"Yes, Flagler College is haunted. One of the spirits is Henry's second wife, Ida Alice Flagler."

~ ~ ~

Copper Cauldron by Terri Talley Venters

Blurb: 

Penelope Manchester, a good witch with one green and one blue eye, awaits her destiny: a warrior of God with the face of an angel, the heart of a saint, and eyes which match her own. St. Michael the archangel flies into her life and sweeps her off her feet. Meanwhile, an evil sorcerer captures witches, steals their powers and most of their nine lives, and shrinks them to the size of dolls - Nürnberg dolls. But when he turns two of the Manchester witches into dolls, the Manchester clan fights back with the help of St. Michael, and divine intervention. Armed with the legendary copper cauldron, a fire-breathing dragon, and an arsenal of spells, good battles evil.

Read an excerpt.

Buy.

Bio:

Terri received her Bachelor’s degree in Accounting and Master’s degree in Taxation from the University of Florida. She is a licensed CPA and a Second Degree Black Belt in Taekwondo. She lives in St. Augustine, Florida, with her husband, Garrison, and their two sons.

Terri is the daughter of Leslie S. Talley, author of Make Old Bones which is also available from Wild Child Publishing.

On the first of each month, Terri also posts free short stories on her website. Learn more about the books in her Elements of Mystery series at http://www.elementsofmystery.com/ as she weaves her way through the Periodic Table of Elements.

Hello, Spring?

Please welcome our guest, Margie Church!

Patience is a virtue. These days, the cliché makes my teeth hurt. Even though its origins are biblical and my name is Church, I've snipped my last shred of patience.

I want spring, and I want it right now.

Cue the violins, will ya darling? By this time last year, we'd had over 40 days of 50 degree temperatures. This year? Not a one. In the last two weeks, we've gotten almost two feet of snow and over an inch of rain.

HELLO? IT'S MAY.  There's not even a spring flower in sight. The trees are buttoned up, not a leaf around.

I really don't give a rat's butt if we live in Minnesota and our climate is akin to Siberia, it's past time to put away the Christmas decorations. In that spirit, I took down my delightful Frosty door greeting thingamabob and put up my Welcome Spring wreathe. It snowed four inches. Then we enjoyed a downpour that turned our driveway into an ice rink. I went for a walk last night wearing my winter coat and mittens. This morning, it was a frosty 29 degrees. Grrr!

I can't control the weather.

So why does it control me? Why does the monochrome white sky and landscape make me want to take a blowtorch to the yard to see if there's grass somewhere under the white carpet of snow? I tweeted pics of our beautiful snowfalls, posted pictures on Facebook of my Christmas tree, favorite holiday tunes, wished friends and enemies a Merry Christmas to be a good sport. It's no wonder I never did well in athletics. I can't even be a good sport anymore.

The birds came back a few weeks ago. I seriously considered buying a suet log last Thursday. In late April. They are nesting like fiends, not because they're eager to mate. They are freezing! The greenhouses are empty. The only small motors I've been hearing are snow blowers. Enough already!

I think I'm going to buy some of that self-tanning lotion. I'm obviously living in a state of denial about our seasons: winter and July 4^th. I hope next summer falls on a Saturday so everyone can enjoy it.

While I'm grousing about our crappy weather, I'm very psyched to tell you about my newest book I've co-authored the book with K.B. Cutter in the Razor Trilogy – Love's Storm.

Razor: Love's Storm 

by Margie Church and K.B. Cutter

Their delicious, naughty secret is out, and it's open season on Amy and Bryce's decision to add a third person to their marriage.

All the talking in the world can't convince critics that Amy and Bryce's marriage is rock-solid, and there are no secrets between them. Others meddle to undermine Bryce's business and marriage. Even Raine's Master thinks she's making a huge mistake.

With no allies, and scorn coming from every direction, love and determination must lead Amy, Bryce, and Raine through love's storm.

Their journey began in Razor: Desire's Edge and continues after Love's Storm in Love's Reflection. The trilogy is a polyamorous love story for 21^st century romance readers. Are you one?

Buy Love's Storm and the first book, Desire's Edge on Amazon and Barnes & Noble. Print fans can get copies only on Amazon. Ask for an authorgraph and earn points in our fun contest!

CONTEST: To celebrate the new book and the trilogy, we're holding a fantastic, unique contest – Razor Romances Booty. Click on the link to learn all the easy ways to rack up points and win some very sexy prizes, including products from Nipple Charms and an autographed mini flogger. Our contest runs through May so you have plenty of time to participate.  http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/share-code/NWUwNDZkNjczYWY1MTUyNjI5ZGZmNTcxNjVkYmEwOjE=/