Wednesday, December 30, 2020

A Year in Blessings

 


Hey, peeps, we’re almost there! Counting down the hours until we can kick 2020 out the door—with our steel-toed boots. Not that 2021 will start out great, but there is so much hope that it’ll end on a far better note.

Yet, there were some great moments to be had this year. Here are some of the highlights for me:

I am happy that my octogenarian parents have remained untouched by COVID-19. I can’t wait to be able to hug them again. My hubby and kids have also stayed virus-free. (Me too, in case you’re wondering.)



No major pet emergencies. Granted, we only have one pet at the moment, but still.

Took lots of delightful, socially distanced walks with my dad…and the (healthy) dog.




Kid #5 and I conquered the WORST jigsaw puzzle ever. Took us a month, and by the time we finished
we were ready to burn the damn thing. But we did finish! For the record, ever since I haven't been able to even think about Gone with the Wind without cringing.






Had not one, but two high school grads who managed to keep their senses of humor even though they missed out on almost all their senior activities/traditions.

 

 

 

 

 



The daily ducky visits to the puddle in the empty playground across the street last Spring. Hope they come back next year.

Somehow, I did not suffer a full-blown case of author-COVID-depression syndrome. Slacker that I am though, I did end up having to cram to complete my three novellas for the Intergalactic Dating Agency. Let’s be honest here, that wouldn’t have happened without a deadline.

And speaking of novellas, I published four this year! Skylar’s Gift (Prophecy series), Above the Storm, Wing and a Prayer, and Trial by Fire (all part of my new Silverstar Mates series.) A banner year, book number-wise.

Exciting times when work started on my very own office! It has a door! (If you'd like to see the progress, please subscribe to my newsletter: Lea's Letters from Space.)

After one postponement, I had cataract surgery over the summer. For the first time ever, I now have 20/20 vision in my right eye! Kinda exciting to not have to wear a contact lens in that one anymore.



I think have recovered enough from my distain for puzzles to take on this one, a gift from blogger Mary Smith via author Marlene Bell.

 


 


Discovering a way around the Stay-At-Home-Christmas. Thank you, Zoom, for giving us a way to "be" with our kids who no longer live at home!





The 2020 memes…oh, my gosh! Thanks to all the creative meme makers out there. I’m pretty sure that I laughed at more of those this year than during any previous year.

 

 




So, what about you? In a year of overwhelming odds, what positive moments of 2020 stand out for you? Don’t be shy…let me know in the comments.

May 2021 bring you peace, joy, and good health.

~Lea

P.S. - I have declared that this new year's eve is Unofficial National Stay at Home and Read Night. In case you're looking for some great new releases to snuggle with, check out these recent new releases from the SFR Station.



Tuesday, December 29, 2020

Happy New Year with Frost Moon by @meganslayer #gay #gayromance #pnr #christmas #paranormal

 


Frost Moon by Megan Slayer


Book 3 in the Moon Series

MLR Press

Contemporary, Paranormal, LGBT

Novella

M/M, Anal Sex

 

Jagger doesn’t want much for the holidays—just an angel for Christmas.

Christmas is the time to heal wounds and come together, especially if you’re an angel. Michael’s job for the last few hundred years has been to clean up the messes created by the humans and the demons. Although he loves his job, he wants more this Christmas than to watch everyone else be merry and bright. He loves the holiday and wants to share the day with someone special…especially once he sees Jagger. The sexy, but sad looking man has confessed he hates Christmas. Can a Christmas angel really sway the Scrooge and help him find more than just the beauty in Christmas?

 

http://www.mlrbooks.com/ShowBook.php?book=MSSNOBAL

https://books2read.com/u/mlKypW

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00QZBAOW2?tag=

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/frost-moon-megan-slayer/1120908185?ean=2940150196193&st=AFF&2sid=Draft2Digital_7968444_NA&sourceId=AFFDraft2Digital

https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/frost-moon-1

EXCERPT!! ©Megan Slayer, 2014,  All Rights Reserved

“Now, have you been good this year?”

“I’ve done the best with what I’ve got,” Jagger answered. He wasn’t kidding. He liked sex. He liked to mingle. There might have been an occasion or two where he’d had a few too many and gone home with a guy only to have the relationship last as long as the blow job, but who was honestly a total angel?

“I see. I’ll have to keep my eye on you.” Santa shifted in his seat. “What would you like for Christmas?”

“An angel.” 

“A what? A porcelain one?”

“No, no. Like the old song. An angel sent to me.” He’d loved that Shelly Fabares song so much. So the tune was hokey and the words were dated…he didn’t care.

“Ah. What do you want her to look like?” Santa asked.

Oh boy. Jagger fought the urge to roll his eyes. “I’d like him to be at least six feet tall. Brown hair. Shaggy hair, like just rolled out of bed shaggy. Blue eyes. Nice smile. Not a ton of chest hair. Great personality. Oh, and I want him to be the boyfriend type.” That about summed up what he’d wanted.

“You’re thorough.” Santa rubbed his chin. “That’s a tall order, pardon the pun.”

“I know. I figure you’re my last hope. I’ve tried meeting guys on my own. Tried the dating scene, the website thing, and the set up by friends thing. None of it has worked. If you can’t, then I’m hopeless, and December will forever suck.”

“Aren’t you positive?” Santa paused. His dark eyes glittered. “Does his name have to be Johnny?”

“Nope.”

“If you have this man come to you, you’ll enjoy the holiday?” Santa asked.

“I will.” Granted, he wanted the man to stick around and be more than short term, but love wasn’t going to happen overnight. 

“Well, I’ll see what can be done. You’re cutting it mighty close.”

“Don’t I know it.” 

 

Sunday, December 27, 2020

Good Riddance to 2020. Traditions to Ring in the New Year by L. A. Kelley

Well, it’s been a helluva year. I don’t know about you, but between COVID-19, elections, hurricanes, wildfires, shootings, and everything else, I’m done with 2020. I won’t miss it or get nostalgic. I don’t want the like ever to appear again. To make sure of that, I’m going to follow a raft of New Year’s traditions to guarantee a healthy, happy, and not horrible 2021.

In Burma, splashing water on someone is considered good luck, so I’ll start the day by waking my husband by throwing a pail of water on him. He'll probably complain he’s not Burmese, but tough. He needs to suck it up. The other option is to smack him on the head with an onion which is considered good luck in Greece. I haven’t decided yet. I think I’ll keep it a surprise. Perhaps, I’ll do both.

Residents of Johannesburg, South Africa throw appliances out the window. No mention is made whether they call out a warning to neighbors walking by first. In Denmark the tradition is to smash dishes on your neighbor’s doorstep. I have the kind of neighbors that might take issue (especially if it’s a dish I borrowed.) However, I’ll simply remind them smashed china is better than having a smart TV heaved at your head. Danes apparently also jump off chairs. What do they put in the water in Denmark?

In Italy, wearing red underwear is lucky. I don’t have any red underwear, but I do have a bunch of red Christmas napkins and I’m pretty good at origami. In Argentina, the tradition is pink underwear, so I could give my napkins a good dose of bleach first. Thanks to COVID-19, bleach is plentiful. Bolivians wear yellow underwear. I happen to have a pair, so I believe I’ll wear all three for triple the good fortune. Perhaps, on my head in Walmart as a morale booster to others. Nothing says Happy New Year better than looking like a lunatic on a shopping spree.

Peruvians celebrate with the Takanakuy festival which is nothing more than one big fist fight and is supposed to wipe the slate clean for the next year. Although I suppose if I go around the neighborhood belting people, they’re likely to complain and I’ve already broken their china.

New Year’s often involves visitors. In Scotland the first person over the threshold is supposed to bring luck and the luckiest visitor is a dark man with coal. I’ve emailed Idris Elba several times with an invitation and even offered to supply the coal. I finally received a reply from his attorney threatening legal action if I didn’t back off, but I’m sure if I explain one more time, he’ll be here.

To top off the day, I’ll serve a sumptuous feast of traditional lucky foods; black eyes peas (American South) served on top of pickled herring (Poland) served on top of marzipan (Austria) served on top of tamales (Mexico) and all covered with soba noodles (Japan). Anyone who can survive that dinner should be able to meet 2021 head on, if they don’t end up in the hospital with gastritis.

Happy New Year.


L. A. Kelley writes fantasy and sci-fi adventures with humor, romance, and touch of sass. Her new tradition is to stuff her face with chocolate to keep COVID away So far, it's working.



Friday, December 25, 2020

Out with the Old . . . by Nancy Gideon


Here's to a new, exciting, prosperous New Year in 2021!!

Happy Writing!

♚♚♚♚♚
Nancy Gideon on the Web




Monday, December 21, 2020

A Special Winter Solstice – Will We See The Christmas Star? By Tena Stetler

 


Could the “Christmas Star” light up the night sky on the winter solstice? If the weather cooperates, something very special will be visible on the winter solstice this Monday night December 21, 2020 -- the “Star of Bethlehem,” also known as the “Christmas Star.”

It’s actually not a star at all, despite the names.

Did you know Jupiter orbits the sun every twelve years and Saturn orbits the sun every thirty years? The two largest planets in the solar system don’t line up very often. The two gas giants will cross paths in the night sky on the winter solstice on Monday, December 21, 2020.

This will be the closest Jupiter and Saturn have been since 1226, and the first to be easily observable in eight-hundred years. Wow, you can bet I'll be looking to the night sky on the 21st!

Though the planets are four-hundred and fifty million miles apart, to the naked eye, they will appear as one bright light in the sky.

Astronomers believe that a similar event could have created the Star of Bethlehem seen by the Three Wise Men, guiding them toward Bethlehem more than two-thousand years ago.

For astronomers around the world, it is an exciting and rare occurrence. We could all use something positive to end this year.



Speaking of Winter Solstice, Lathen and Pepper from A WITCH’S HOLIDAY WEDDING a small town paranormal romance/mystery. planned their nuptials on the Winter Solstice. But  It’s down to the wire, will the nosy McKay ghosts, Lathen’s werewolf pack, Pepper’s parents, and her best friend help or hinder the wedding and holiday plans? Lathen’s covert military mission threatens life as he knows it. Torn in too many directions will Pepper and Lathen make it to the altar?

Available at: AmazonBarnes&Noble, Kobo, ibooks

A peek between the pages of A WITCH'S HOLIDAY WEDDING - After she set her glass down, Lathen brushed a couple strands of hair out of her eyes and searched her face. “Are you all right?”

“I’m tired, my wedding is in a couple weeks, I have ghosts fighting over who is going to do what. Guests that have no idea the place is haunted and… Your family and pack, my parents, Gwen… To top it all off, the head of my clan, who is a ghost, is sitting in front of me wanting to know who is coming to the wedding and whether the ghosts will be outed. How could I possibly be all right?”

“When you put it that way.” Lathen chuckled. “It sounds just a bit… I don’t know…crazy?” His right eyebrow winged up. She saw mischief sparkle in his eyes. “We could still elope,” he offered.

Sunday, December 20, 2020

Can She Move Past Who She Is?


In my newest dragon shifter paranormal romance, THE PROTECTOR, I had a ton of fun getting two characters together who had been at odds for years. But especially my heroine...for a few reasons.

Lyndi is a rare female-born dragon. This is the first heroine in the series not to be a human who is turned dragon later, so we get to see one already comfortable in her dragon skin. This makes her pretty badass. 

Unfortunately, female-born dragons struggle because they can't have children. Mates are found amount human women instead. But Lyndi isn't taking that lying down. She's built her own family by taking in orphaned dragons. I based these boys on my own nephews (and even let them pick their endings), which was so much fun.

However, Lyndi has another whammy. She's the cousin of the High King, which makes her a political pawn. Her eventual mating will be to benefit the king. Which is why she's kept Levi, the beta of her brother's team of enforcers, at arm's length so long. But everything is about to change...


I hope you enjoy Lyndi and Levi's story. Here's an excerpt!


Without warning, a thick arm banded around her stomach and yanked her right off her feet and under a different bush. She landed with a grunt she managed to only make in her head, swallowing the sound down.

Levi put his lips to her ear, his whisper barely audible. “Don’t move.”

Barely, she kept from wiggling, going as still as a mouse in the jaws of a cat. Only he didn’t let her go. They sat on the ground, her between his legs, which were bent at the knees on either side of her hips, his arm still solidly around her, his hard-as-steel chest pressed tight against her back.

She never allowed herself to get this close.

Damn if instant heat didn’t swamp her, molten at the junction of her thighs, setting her to pulsing in time to her heartbeat and pushing the pain in her lower back clean out of her head.

No. No. No. No. Now was not the time to let this unspoken, unacknowledged, lethal thing she felt toward him hold sway.

Lyndi forced herself to remain motionless, closing her eyes and reaching for calm. Control.

But his own heat surrounded her along with that sweet scent of cigar smoke and the smoothest brandy, like earlier in the war room, just like his voice. Is that what his skin would taste like?

Not the first time she’d wondered.

“Are you okay?” he husked.

“Fine.” Or she would be as soon as she could get away from him.

Her wound wasn’t her biggest concern right now. All shifters had accelerated healing, part of what allowed them to live so long. By the time Drake gave the all clear, she wouldn’t be lying about that.

A low grunt told her Levi didn’t believe her anyway, but for once he didn’t push her. After a pause, his arm relaxed against her and he uncurled his fisted hand, his fingers flattening against her belly.

“Stay where you are,” Drake ordered. He must still be dragon to be communicating telepathically. Where was he anyway? “I’m going to check whether they’ve gone.”

Against her, Levi’s body eased infinitesimally. She wouldn’t have known if she wasn’t plastered against him. Stiffening, she went to sit away from him, but he tightened his grip. “Hold still.”

He was right. Until Drake gave the okay, she should hold exactly as she was.

“You’re trembling,” he whispered, lips still at her ear, breath tickling. His fingers, which she was horribly aware of, brushed against her lightly. She might as well have been naked the effect that small touch had, sending electric sparks of need hissing through her blood.

“Don’t,” she warned, voice low.

The fingers stopped and he stiffened against her, muscles going rigid.

Guilt, an emotion that had only grown over the years of keeping this man at a distance, overrode common sense. “I’m ticklish,” she lied.

“Since when?”

“You’ve never touched me there, so you wouldn’t have known.” She winced. Wrong choice of words. Way too much inuendo for comfort. Change of subject time. “You know, if you hadn’t been distracting me, that dragon wouldn’t have got so close without me sensing him.”

“I wasn’t distracting you. I was just flying next to you.”

“Go fly next to someone else.”

“Back to the babysitting thing, are we?”

She still didn’t want to talk about that. Lyndi snapped her teeth together, catching her lip, and the metallic taste of blood hit her tongue.

“You know, I try to protect everyone on this team,” he pointed out, with a lingering hint of a chuckle. “It’s my job as beta.”

She should gratefully accept the reprieve and keep her mouth shut. “Are you laughing at me?”

“Not at you.”

“At what, then?”

Levi’s arm tightened around her. “I’m laughing at my own stupidity.”

“Which means what exactly?”

“Apparently no good deed goes unpunished when it comes to you,” he accused. “I’m trying to remind myself of that.”

“I don’t need your good deeds, either.”

A hiss escaped him. A sound of such frustration, so unlike Levi, that she tried to scoot forward slightly only to come up against the iron band of his arm.

“What do you need then?” he asked. “Because I can smell it all over you. Your need…it’s torture.”



Saturday, December 19, 2020

How to Get the Most of Every Book You Read by Elizabeth Alsobrooks

 

If you just obtained a book, either by getting it from the library or purchasing a new copy, it’s pretty obvious that you either know and love the author’s work, or you previewed the book and found it interested you, making you want to read more. Folks who write and market books try to influence you with the enticing cover blurbs and attention-grabbing visuals on the cover. They know the first thing that makes you reach for the book is the cover and the first thing you’re going to do after examining it is flip the book over and read the blurb to get a sense of what the book is about.

But what should you, as the reader, do to get the most bang for your buck out of a book that you plan to invest a few hours of your valuable time into?

Most books begin with an opening hook, some action or situation or character introspection that draws you into the story, the setting, the world of the characters.  The author wants you to leave your mundane world behind and enter a new world that’s so exciting and intriguing you don’t want your adventure to end. If it’s a series, they want you to anxiously search out other books in the series and watch for new entries.

For you to enjoy this adventure as thoroughly as possible, there are some things you, as the reader, can do to make it a more interactive experience. The first thing you should do is ask questions. It doesn’t have to be a mystery for you to ask provocative questions and expect to discover the answers. All the best writers know to feed your vicarious appetite foreshadowing, clues and hints of what may happen or why something has or might happen. It keeps you turning pages, seeking the answer to your questions of why or why not. Why did a character do what they did? What is it they want? Are they in it alone or do they have a partner in crime? What are they willing to do to get what they want? Are they good or bad, and is it possible to be both? Seriously, don’t tell me you’ve never rooted for the bad guy to win. That’s a well developed character, who makes for good reading.

Pay attention to who the characters are and what other people say about them, what they do to or for them, and why. In each chapter you will discover some consequence or circumstance, perhaps some new characters.   Pay attention so you don’t miss the importance. Sometimes the clues are subtle and you may discover something and say, oh, that’s right, she never liked them, but the author never explained why. Now I understand why she was so rude to him. But be careful, an author also throws some red herrings. They might have purposely misled you only to surprise you with some newly discovered bit of information, some scene or event that further clarifies motive or influence.

It’s fine to analyze a character, either comparing them to someone you know, or a type of person you can imagine. It’s perfectly understandable to psychoanalyze them too. Why do they act a certain way, let people treat them badly or submit to an abusive situation? If you don’t try to relate even in an I would never do that way with characters and their behaviors, you won’t get nearly as much from your story. A good writer will pull you into a story and let you live it through the character’s eyes. A good reader learns to suspend their disbelief and enjoy the adventure, taking the good with the bad.

If you’re reading a literary work, a bit more intellectual in theme, as opposed to a strictly genre-driven story, you should notice and be aware or symbolism and underlying themes such as making the right choice in a bad situation, or how to grow as a person whatever your circumstances, how the choices we make now influence our future. You will get much more from the book if you’re aware of the meaning behind the actual words. It takes reading between the lines to a whole new dimension, and it’s intended to.

I hope this has given you a small insight into how to become a better reader and how to get the most out of every book you read.

Read on!

 

 

 

 


Wednesday, December 16, 2020

3 Reasons You Should be Rereading Stories You've Loved

You've heard to be a good writer, you need to be a good reader before. But did you know that rereading is an integral part of the reading-like-a-writer process? Rereading is one of a million things your middle school and high school ELA teachers droned on about, and for good reason. Let's talk about 3 of them today. 

Reason #1-You'll be able to pick out more craft elements

Your brain, while an amazing thinking machine, cannot put together all of the awesome craft elements on a story after one read. It needs time to stew on the things you've read, and then another change to further interpret the meanings to be found in a text. Making rereading a key element to learning how to pick up on and decipher key craft elements. And if you're reading well-written stories, you'll want to slow down and study all of the magic-enabling elements well-practiced writers are imploring.  

Reason #2-You'll learn more good words to use

Have you ever read a sentence that seemed simple but had such an emotional impact that you had to stop reading, turn to the closest human to you, and declare your awe of the English language? No? Just me? No matter, rereading a text encourages you to slow down and pay closer attention to the words a writer uses. You'll see how they swapped out the word "look" for "glance" and what that seemingly simple word choice did to the scene. 

Reason #3-You'll learn to recognize plot patterns

Now, learning to recognize plot patterns may not sound like the most interesting thing you could get from rereading a story, but it's soooooooooo good for writers who write in a specific genre most of the time. You see, genres come with certain reader expectations, and while diverting from them here and there is a very good idea, you also need to understand which of those plot elements are non-negotiable to the genre itself. And how do you do that? By comparing what you see in the genre-specific books you are reading. Does the main lead almost always end up with their love interest? Ask yourself why. Read a book where that doesn't happen, and ask yourself how that change affected your feelings about the story.

There are clearly way more reasons to reread good stories outside of these three. Which reasons would you add to the list? Comment them below!

Happy Writing.


Monday, December 14, 2020

Interview with March Morgan Aguillard from Life for Sale

 In my sci-fi romance, Life for Sale, the heroine is March Morgan, who has now married Christian Aguillard, a sentient, entirely human-like android capable of emotions, up to and including love. In fact Christian was programmed to love March when she signed on the dotted line, paying an exorbitant price for him. But she couldn't resist once she'd met him. Would you agree he's worth it?


March, shall we begin?



What is your greatest temptation?

            In men:           Tall, blonde, blue eyes. I prefer long hair. The man must have a sense of humor and be intelligent. Charming and handsome are big bonuses. (she laughs) I’ve just described Christian. I should have asked him to come along. If you passed him on the street, you’d take a look but not because he’s an android. Because he’s a hunk.

            In food:          I’m particularly fond of seafood but won’t turn down a nice steak prepared Pittsburg style (charred on the outside; rare inside).

            In clothes:       Tadashi Shoji, but I usually can’t afford him unless I find a dress on eBay. So, I settle for pretty business suits to wear to work.

 

What is your greatest weakness (example: buying shoes)? Other than Christian? I’d have to say Shoji’s fashions though I wouldn’t rule out shoes.

 

If you could have any kind of car, what would it be?       Red 1964 Jaguar XKE

 


Your dream home - mountains or ocean? Ocean. I love to watch the waves and listen to them whispering to me. Christian and I live by Galveston Bay, and I absolutely love it. When a storm grumbles and the sea is restless, the view is exquisite. So, inspiring I want to paint. Good thought, poor resolution—I can’t even draw a straight line.


 

What is your favorite book?   Silver Metal Lover by Tanith Lee. It’s a coming of age story about a rich, young woman and a completely human-like android. I loved that book long before I met Christian. I adore Tanith Lee’s writing style. Have you ever read Dark Dance? It’s a paranormal. I’d highly recommend the Silver Metal Lover series and Dark Dance.

 


If your life were made into a movie, what actress would you want to play you and who for Christian?  For me, Marilyn Monroe, but, unfortunately, I look nothing like her. For Christian, definitely Travis Fimmel (pre-Viking days. Like this photo but imagine him a year or two older. Even now, I swoon over the half-dressed photo, do you? Hint: Christian looks just as good half-naked…or without a stitch on. (She smiles)



If you were given the opportunity to spend a day with any person, living or dead, who would it be?  Queen Victoria. She was such a power unto herself. She might have been petite like me, but she ruled Britain with the iron fist in the velvet glove. After his death, she mourned her Albert for the rest of her life. That is the kind of love I dreamed of but could never find until, a tiny ad in a woman’s magazine advertising Love for Sale. With great trepidation, I followed my heart and he was waiting at the end of my journey. I saw him and the emptiness inside disappeared. I had to have him. I cleaned out my 401K to buy him, you understand, but despite the danger we now face, I don’t regret signing on that dotted line or one penny spent.

 Do you have a hobby?   I read quite a lot. I have been known to crochet a bad hat. I’ve just taken up snorkeling in preparation for our cruise from the Turks and Caicos. We heard that the snorkeling was fantastic at Smith’s Reef on the largest of the 40 islands (called Provid by locals) that make up the T&C. Christian won’t have any problem managing the fins, but there’s a short circuit somewhere between my brain and my feet.

 How do you maintain an android?  Believe it or not, they come with operating instructions and a maintenance guide as well as guidelines on how to deactivate your android, heaven forbid. Each has a kill switch hidden in different places on the body. I feel like that would be murder. Since they are basically built to be immortal, the only real concerns is the liquid to use in tears, for example. There are other fluids that must be replenished, but this is a PG post. The reservoirs, with too much use…can run dry. (she blushes) At that point, you can order said liquids from Mayfair and DIY, or you can return to Mayfair to have it done. Under the circumstances, you can return to Mayfair and let them do it. Ours aren’t normal at all. We and three other Special Editions are on the run from their creator.

 As to the care and feeding of your perfect lover, he or she must go into Sleep Mode somewhere near a power outlet, not necessarily an electrical plug-in but any power source will do, and will come awake refreshed and ready to go. The Special Editions do not have a digestive system and do not eat. Other than these minor lacks, you can’t tell them from human. Immediately, and today, I continue to, think of Christian as human. His brain may be a computer and his heart a central processor, but he is the man I love.

~*~

Life for Sale is Book II in the Tomorrow's Angels series. The first book is Love for Sale. Here's the blurb for the series.



Tomorrow’s Angels: Series Blurb

 Mayfair Electronics has created life.

In Love for Sale, the high-tech electronics company, in black and white, offers “love for sale”. Mayfair has engineered sentient androids indistinguishable from humans. March Morgan flies to England and meets the man she has been searching for her entire life. Christian requires no programming to love March at first sight, but her past and his future soon threaten their happiness—and their lives.

In the sequel, Life for Sale, four of the Special Editions have escaped. Rebel, Christian and  March  are on the run, but they have a bigger problem than his creator's plan to destroy him. They've discovered that one of the renegades has suffered a dangerous malfunction, threatening them with more than just exposure. March and Christian must stop the insane robot before someone else dies. All the evidence points to March being the killer's next victim.

Excerpt of Life for Sale:

March shivered again, rested her face on his chest. “Hold me until I stop trembling.” Tears she didn’t want him to see welled in her eyes. The whole ghastly business had to be hard on a man encoded to protect not harm humans.

Her AI angel stroked her hair, and a sob broke through her control. She squeezed her eyes shut, battling tears.

“Shush, dear. It’s over now,” but he didn’t sound confident. The thing buried in the backyard could tear them apart or worse.  Any slight misstep, and they both faced Death in all his chilling glory.

“I love you,” she whispered.

He brushed a kiss to her lips and pulled her closer.

For some time, they stood. taking comfort from holding each other and simply being, then, hand-in-hand, they walked, when they wanted to run, to the house. Christian had switched on the overhead light in the anteroom. In the brilliance, it was possible to pretend the past few minutes hadn’t occurred. Again the tears threatened, and he held her until she’d regained control. She straightened, gazing into his eyes. Battered emotions stained them darker blue. Mayfair hadn’t missed even that small detail. He cradled her face between his hands and kissed her tenderly, his lips soft and his body close. In a lifetime of searching, she’d never have found anyone like him. If she were to lose him…she couldn’t imagine living without him.

Once, Mayfair had taken him away.  They could do it again—and there was absolutely nothing she could do about it. The golden ring on the third finger of his left hand should protect Christian from Mayfair, but who’d investigate a missing robot, or even believe her in the first place?

With almost religious fervor, she and Christian had adhered to Mayfair’s first commandment. Above all, the company demanded secrecy. The Special Editions passed for human, and no one was ever to know that Mayfair had engendered life, but at any moment Aguillard, the wild card for whom the Christian line was named, might renege on the freedom he’d grudgingly bestowed.

Her cell rang, ending their moment of respite.

Buy Link

~*~

Happy Holidays, everyone! Be happy, be healthy, and have fun.

 Linda  

Sunday, December 13, 2020

This Conjunction Junction Serves No Function

 

    In my energetic healing practice, I am used to an increased number of visits around eclipses, solstices, equinoxes, meteor showers, and other cosmic events. Sometimes the alignment of the stars changes the veil between our physical plane and spiritual plane. Many empaths feel unbalanced because we are between eclipses but 2020 has had so many cosmic events that I struggle to keep up with them.

    Instead, I use Reiki techniques to balance their energetic grids of those feeling unlike themselves which yield emotional stability. Mostly I am helping the moon radiation lovers handle New Moons and lunar eclipses while the sun lovers need help in managing seasonal depression. Being sandwiched between two eclipses in two months, the moon has lost its gravitational stability. It wobbles like the stability of the moon lovers. However, the amount of sunlight has decreased daily (until the winter solstice). The winter solstice will be celebrated on 12/21/2020 and will mark the least amount of sunlight in the calendar year.

    I expected my sun-loving clients (and those with seasonal depression symptoms) to make appointments, but I didn’t expect the uproar over a planetary conjunction. I was more surprised the planets involved in scaring them were Jupiter and Saturn. The neighboring planets have orbits that cross every 20 years (Earth Sky.org). This year Jupiter and Saturn will cross at 0.1 degrees and be visible from Earth for the first time since 3/4/1226 (Astronomy News). (Note: there was an event like this in 1623 but its position near the sun made it impossible to see.) To us on earth, they will look like one giant star. My first thought was about how beautiful it is going to look but to many clients, it was cause for alarm like a check engine light in the sky. So like any good practitioner, I researched this omen. Is it friend, foe, or nothing? Photo from EarthSky.org


In my Strawberry Shifters book series, winter solstice is an ominous event where the Fae take advantage of the thin veil and drop Sluagh demons on earth. Could this double star be a portal for inter-realm travel? I have yet to meet one of these Celtic mythological beings but my Celtic Protection Wheel necklace is made of iron and I wear it every day. It is difficult to believe that my clients of every age range and educational background started believing in the Fae within the same time period. Not to mention alien realms. There must be more to it.



    If this is a cycle ending (or beginning) cosmic event, it makes sense that the events of the past will repeat themselves. My first stop on my quest was “This Day in History” where I looked at the events of 3/4/1226. No natural disasters, large government toppling, or global troublemaker was born in the entire year of 1226. What a relief! While March 4th is a common date for inaugural addresses like those by Jefferson, Lincoln, and FDR (Wikipedia), the USA wasn’t a thought in 1226. In summary, 1226 AD was a pleasantly boring year. Could this be a sign that 2021 will be pleasantly boring too?

    But what about on a personal level? Astrologists create planetary charts based on the birth time and place unique to every individual. The planets signify different portions of your personality with different lessons decided at birth based on their positions. What could an overlap mean? Saturn is the social planet that governs a person’s responsibility streak, rule-following tendencies, boundaries, fears, and self-discipline. Jupiter is the philosophical planet that governs a person’s optimism, idealism, and acceptance of new ideas. If you cross these definitions, does it mean we get to kick up our heels?

    I don’t know about you, but I welcome a planetary sign of fun, optimism, and new ideas. After the bubonic plague, the world saw the European Renaissance. I like to think we are about to see another one and this Christmas Star is the beacon calling to all the creatives. The pain is over and good times are ahead. However, this is 2020 so I won’t be doing anything extravagant – like toilet papering my neighbor’s house.



Thursday, December 10, 2020

MIXING PARANORMAL ROMANCE WITH SCIFI - DOES IT WORK?

 

A reader asked me the other day why I loved writing SciFi romance, and I had to think about it for a moment. Then it hit me. The reason I love writing SciFi romance is I can combine the science fiction background with a slew of paranormal elements thrown in.

See, while I love the science fiction aspect, I am also hopelessly addicted to paranormal romance. Christine Feehan’s Vampire Carpathian series… Sherrilyn Kenyon’s Dark Hunter’s…. Karen Marie Moning Fever series… Lora Leigh’s Breeds… oh, boy, I could go on and on.

So, who’s saying an alien can’t be a vampire… a psychic… a wizard… an empath… or a shapeshifter? How about bringing in a dragon or even a Demi-god? They’re aliens, for stars sake… the galaxy is the limit! 

In that vein, I’ve created my latest SciFi romance series with a paranormal twist. While the premise is based loosely on the Ancient Alien theory that ET’s have visited us in the past, I wanted to take that idea and add a bunch of goodies to it.

What I did was work on the theory from Zecharia Sitchin’s The Earth Chronicles that stipulates ancient astronauts came to Earth and needed laborers to mine gold for their planet, Nibiru. The inhabitants of Nibiru, the Anunnaki, decided that their genes mixed with Homo erectus genes would make excellent slaves to replace the miners. Thus, Homo sapiens was born.

I took that concept and made the hybrids into something more—giving them paranormal abilities (I’m tired of movies showing the aliens with the powers. Hah. In my stories, the Earthlings are the one with the powers, not the aliens).

My first hero is an empath, the second a shapeshifter, the third is a psychic, the fourth a vampire, and the last one will be a wizard (or a Demi-god. Not sure which one yet). So far, in the first book, I’ve expanded on the empath’s ability. Not only can he feel and experience emotions from those around him, but he can also manipulate their emotions in return.

In my second book, I’m working on the shapeshifter. His extra powers are not only shapeshifting into a wolf (which he favors above all others), but he can change his DNA at the cellular level and transform into another person. He can even harden his skin to become bullet proof!

Not to be outdone, the heroines of these stories discover they are hybrids as well and learn to use their powers throughout the book. The heroine in my second book even turns into a dragon (see what I mean when I say I can add loads of goodies to my novels?). I just love spending my day creating these stories and adding a paranormal element to them.

My first book is titled Alien Legacy: The Empath and is FREE on Kindle Unlimited. But, as a bonus, for the month of December the paperback on sale at 40% off! Instead of $14.99, it’s available for $8.99! 

Here’s the cover and a short taste:



The vision of the woman he just met consumed him. Rich sable hair was swept into an intricate knot at the top, leaving tendrils to frame her lovely face in soft wisps. Her eyes were the same captivating color as her hair.

She had a voluptuous figure, something her suit couldn’t hide. Ben had mourned over the years the modern concept of overly skinny feminine beauty. He missed the days when women were proud of their generous curves. His mouth dried at the sight of Julienne’s luscious, ripe breasts that strained under the buttons of a silky, dusky-rose blouse. The black, single button jacket she wore paired nicely with the tight skirt. Long, supple legs with trim ankles were shown to perfection in three-inch heels.

God bless whoever invented high heels.

Her skin was creamy and smooth, with a thin suggestion of perfume that teased, hinting at sensual delights. He’d give anything to see if she was the kind of woman who reveled in lacy underwear. Just the thought of that woman in a thong was enough to make his body stir to attention. Thank God he hadn’t taken the suit jacket off in the building.

As he watched her out of the corner of his eye, something flashed low, hard, and deep inside. He’d never had such a strong reaction to anyone—to any woman—like that before. His logical brain fought with his empathic senses to touch her. To pull her into a strong embrace and inhale her sweet scent. The craving had been so intense; he stepped back and turned his back on her like a freakin’ coward to protect himself.

During the ensuring conversations, his fluctuating, wild emotions made it hard to focus. Not only on what was said, but on the mixed feelings swirling around the room. He didn’t have to be an empath to see he’d pissed her off with his rudeness. But what choice did he have? This wasn’t the time to explore any attraction he had for her. He had other things to concentrate on. That was why he “pushed” a suggestion to Claude to leave the building.

To be honest, meeting her was a surprise. He didn’t care about the bank, Murduk, Inc., or finding the man Michael told him he needed to look for. Every instinct screamed he go back and wipe that disgusted sneer off her lips.

Preferably with his mouth.

Rubbing the bridge of his nose under the sunglasses, he let out a disgruntled sigh. Good God of Love, I’m so screwed.



I’d love for you to read Ben and Julienne’s love story. I can’t wait to hear what you think of me mixing the paranormal into a SciFi romance!


Wednesday, December 9, 2020

A Midwinter’s Feast in the Mystical World of 13th Century Scotland by Mary Morgan

 


Come journey with me as I whisk you away to 13th century Scotland for a Midwinter’s feast. We shall arrive at Urquhart Castle on the banks of Loch Ness. This is the home of the Clan MacKay—the Dragon Knights. Their bloodline is steeped in ancient Celtic mythology. Though they respect the new religion that has swept across their land, the Dragon Knights continue to honor the old ways. Midwinter is a celebration of light and warmth here within the walls. The doors have been left open for all to enter in peace. Once you step inside, you are drawn to the holly boughs with ivy, bay, crimson-berried yew and fragrant bunches of rosemary.

The torches cast a welcoming light as you proceed onward. As we enter the Great Hall, you are met with boisterous laughter and gaiety. A bard is recanting the tale between the aging Holly King (representing the darkness of the old year), and the young Oak King (symbolizing the light of the New Year). Some of the older lasses have chosen to weave a sprig of holly onto their gowns and they nod at you in passing.

Candles illuminate the hall in a soft glow as you make your way toward the feasting tables. The Dragon Knights and their wives are seated at a longer table near the hearth. Ale and mead are flowing, along with the tempting dishes you survey as you take your place. You are tempted by the trencher of wild boar stuffed with onions and cabbages to your right. Or maybe you would prefer the spiced apples and damson tarts.

The minstrels begin to play a lively tune and a few of the couples grasped hands to join in the merriment…

Onward they danced, twirling and swaying around the hall. Laughter filled Ailsa, along with Desmond’s touch. As the minstrels ended their song, she dipped a curtsy to all. 

Fiona handed her a cup of ale. “You were wonderful out there. I’ve never witnessed my brother dancing. He’s good.” 

“Thank ye.” Ailsa drained the cup, relishing the cool liquid. 

Desmond returned holding two plum tarts in his hand. “By the Gods, these are delicious. Who made them?”

Fiona tried to snatch one from his hand. “Brigid. They’re a favorite of Duncan’s.” 

He shook his finger at her. “Nae. I brought one for Ailsa.”

Fisting her hands on her hips, Fiona pouted. “But none for your beloved sister?” 

“Ye wound me.” Handing her one, he added, “Ailsa and I will just have to share this one.”

Pleased with his gesture, Fiona kissed him on the cheek. Taking the offering, she was about to take a bite, when Alastair approached from behind her.

“’Tis good to see ye are eating.” He placed his hands around her waist.

She laughed when he nibbled on her neck. 

“Come, Desmond. Let us eat our fare away from the lovers,” Ailsa suggested and tugged on his arm.

Snorting, he complied and followed her out of the hall and near the entrance. When he held the treat out to her, Ailsa took a bite.

Closing her eyes, she savored the sweet fruit and crust. “Mmm…” 

“’Tis good.” He whispered softly.

Desmond’s tongue teased the edges of her mouth, and snapping her eyes open, Ailsa yearned to have him kiss her. 

Excerpt A HIGHLAND MOON ENCHANTMENT Copyright © Mary Morgan


PLUM TARTS aka…DAMSON TARTS

2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup finely chopped almonds 

3/4 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed

12 tablespoons cold unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks), cut into small pieces

1 egg yolk

2 pounds firm, ripe plums, pitted and quartered lengthwise

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Combine the flour, almonds, and sugar in a large bowl. Add the butter and the egg yolk. Mix by hand or with an electric mixer, until crumbly.

Press 1 1/2 cups of the crumb mixture in an even layer into the bottom of a 9 1/2-inch springform or tart pan. Arrange the plums in the pan, skin side down to form a flower pattern; begin at the outside and work your way in.

Sprinkle the rest of the crumb mixture evenly over the plums. Bake the tart for 40 to 50 minutes, or until it’s lightly browned and the plum juices are bubbling. Remove from the oven and cool for 10 minutes. Remove from pan and transfer tart to flat plate.

Serve with a dollop of whipped cream.

**Damsons are a small purple-black fruit similar to the plum



Enjoy a Midwinter feast within the pages of these holiday time-travel and paranormal romances! On sale for a limited time here