Laughter is the Best Medicine

Well, hello everyone! Since my normal post day is the 30^th of each month, I missed you all in February. So much has happened, so much has changed in the world. Is everyone staying sane? Loving on your neighbors? We gotta keep looking out for those who don’t have anyone to look out for them. Be someone’s advocate!

But we also need to take care of ourselves. Like any big, unexpected event, pandemics can take an emotional toll on us humans, which could lead to anger, depression, and anxiety among other things. But do not despair! There are things we can do to help keep our emotional health in check.

One of my favorite ways is through humor. I learned this when going through chemotherapy at the age of nineteen, and it’s helped me through a lot of sad, depressing, and terrifying times since. Like now. Anyone who follows my Facebook author page or profile, knows this is true. I’ve posted so many memes, and shared so many funny personal situations in both places recently. (Note: My author page is now a “covid-free” zone, but I still share funny memes and moments there.)

Why? Because I figure if humor helps me cope, then maybe it helps others. And, as I said above, we gotta keep looking out for each other. So, in that vein, I’m going to share with you some of my favorite COVID-ninememes. (Ninememes…19…get it? Okay, never mind.)

 These are but a handful of what's out there. Share your own in the comments! 

Before I wrap up, I have some great news to share. On March 6^th, the next novella in my Prophecy series, quietly released! Yep, Skylar’s Gift is live almost everywhere. Did you get your copy yet? No? Well, what are you waiting for? Get it here!

One itsy-bitsy favor. It would mean the world to me if you could leave an honest review once you finish. I may feature it on my Facebook, Twitter, and/or MeWe pages.

Also, if you sign up for my monthly newsletter, you’ll receive a free copy of my short story, Space Ranger, which was featured in the first ever Pets in Space® anthology!

Thank you so much!

You all stay well, look out for each other, thank your grocery clerk, and I’ll see you next month.

XOXO,

~Lea Kirk 

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USA Today Bestselling Author, Lea Kirk, loves to transport her readers to other worlds with her sci-fi romances. 

When she’s not busy writing about the blue and green aliens of her Prophecy series, she’s hanging out with her hubby, five kids (the nerd herd), and a spoiled Dobie mix pup.

She is currently working on the fourth book in her Prophecy series, and three new books for a new series to be released this fall. 

For more on Lea's books (past, present, & future), check out her:

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51 Ways to Laugh

By now most of you must have heard about the call to storm Area 51 in September. If you haven’t, here’s the Reader’s Digest version: A few weeks ago, the FB event “Storm Area 51 – They can’t stop all of us” was set up…and the crowd went viral! At the time of writing this blog, 1.9 million people have indicated they will be going to help free all the aliens allegedly being held captive at Area 51. (I couldn’t help but notice that some of those signed up are FB friends of mine. You know who you are.)

On many levels, this is the most awesome—and hilarious—event ever in the history of events. I mean, who doesn’t want to know what’s really at Area 51? And the plan of attack is genius. Attendees will be divided into attack waves: The Kyles, Anti-vaxxers, Guys from Florida, Minecrafters, and Karens, just to name a few. I have no idea what group an anti-vaxxer from Florida named Kyle will be in, but hey, if you’re that guy, let us know what happens in the comments. 

Needless to say, my family has gotten a bunch of yuks out of this, and some of my nerd herd has been practicing Naruto running. Before this event, I had never even heard of Naruto running, but supposedly running low with your arms streaming out behind you enables you to outrun bullets. Seriously. My youngest swears it’s true. <insert mom eyeball roll here>

A-n-y-w-a-y, as you can imagine, the US military has stated very clearly that trespassers will be shot persecuted to the fullest extent of the law. [Hint: “They can’t stop all of us.” Um, yes, they can.] And the state of Nevada has quickly pointed out there is no way their roads can support the influx of two million people. Heck, even the dedicated alien hunters aren’t attending this thing—and that more than anything should tell people something.

And here’s a thought: What if this whole thing is actually a government conspiracy to feed the aliens? Betcha didn’t think of that one, did ya?

Yet and still, there are people—including celebrities I’ve never heard of—who say that they’re going, which leads me to wonder how many people will actually show up? I think Trevor Noah of The Daily Show sums up what’s going to happen very succinctly here.

So, what are your plans? To go, or not to go? As for me, I’ve paid up my cable bill and stocked up on Costco popcorn. Nom, nom, nom.

Video by Refik Mehmeti purely for fun

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USA Today Bestselling Author, Lea Kirk, loves to transport her readers to other worlds with her sci-fi romances. When she’s not busy writing about the blue and green aliens of her Prophecy series, or reading about dragons, she’s hanging out with her hubby, five kids (the nerd herd), and spoiled Dobie mix puppy.

She is currently working on two short stories and the fourth book in her series.

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The Story Behind the Story: ONE RED SHOE by Diane Burton

Assassins, killers, and spies. Oh my! My upcoming release does not have paranormal elements, nor does it take place in space. So, no aliens, shape-shifters, or ghosts. I hope you’ll indulge me anyway. Here's the origin of ONE RED SHOE.

Once upon a time, many, many years ago, at a local romance writers meeting (Mid-Michigan RWA), one of the members presented a writing exercise. The only clue was this: you’re on a train platform and someone is running toward you.

The first thing that popped into my head was: the man running toward her on the subway platform wore one red shoe. I wrote as fast as I could until time was up. When we shared our pieces, I was amazed at the variety. One person wrote about a man going off to war, and his sweetheart ran toward him to say good-bye. Another met a friend. And so on. If I recall correctly (and it was years ago) mine was the only one that hinted at danger. You see, the red in the shoe was blood.

That mini-story stuck in my head for years. I wrote, rewrote, and wrote more until I had a complete story. The central theme remained the same: a schoolteacher writer from Iowa rescues a wounded spy in a New York City subway. Daria is a wide-eyed optimist, going to NYC for the first time, ending up there on her own. I remember my first time at a writers’ conference in NYC. I was older and not that naïve. Still, I did play Fan Girl when I met my favorite authors. Consequently, I used some of those feelings for Daria’s emotions.

As the story progresses, the reality of assassins chasing them sinks in, and Daria changes. At first, she lets Sam (the wounded spy) dictate their escape. Each time, the assassins nearly catch them. Dara’s strength emerges as she takes over the rescue. I loved watching (writing) her character arc. Very rewarding.

For several rewrites, the first line remained the same until I went to another writing conference. I’d never ridden on the subway in NYC. Toronto and DC, yes; New York City, no. To make my story authentic, I had to see what it looked like, so I talked a group of friends into going with me, and we rode the subway. At night, no less. I’ll never forget the sights and smells, which I had to include in the story.

Six years ago, I submitted this story to The Wild Rose Press. They accepted and published it. I just received the rights back, and now I’m reissuing it myself. That half-hour writing session turned into one of my favorite books.

Blurb:

It Happened One Night meets Knight and Day

When elementary teacher Daria Mason left Iowa for a writers’ conference in New York City, she didn’t expect to come home with a wounded spy. Sam Jozwiak works for a shadow agency that gathers intel vital to U.S. security. From the moment he steals digital files from a Russian Mafia kingpin, Murphy’s Law takes over. No matter how he covers his tracks, the kingpin’s assassins find him. What’s worse than getting shot in the butt? Accepting help from an Iowa tourist. Thus, begins a road trip that takes Sam and Daria cross country with the assassins right behind them.

Excerpt:

For the second time in her life, Daria Mason came face-to-face with a man pointing a weapon at her. A pervert, with unzipped jeans, wielded a green box knife. Because she’d raced into the restroom without checking out the situation, he now stood between her and the exit.

She was at the end of the proverbial rope. After walking in circles, she finally found a restroom and nobody was stopping her from using it. Especially not someone playing copycat with that guy in the movie who wore one red shoe.

“I am having a really bad day,” she declared in the don’t cross me voice she used on her brothers. As soon as her words echoed off the hideous pink and black tiled walls and floor, she lowered her voice. “You are in the wrong place, mister. Now zip up and get out.” She pointed straight-armed toward the door.

The man shook his head and set the flimsy knife on the counter. “Lady, you have more guts than sense. You are in the wrong place, at the wrong time.” His voice was even softer than hers. He eyed her with a look so dark and intense it paralyzed her like a hawk freezes its prey. She swallowed past the fear in her throat, certain it sounded like a gulp.

ONE RED SHOE will be released on Monday, October 22, 2018. It's available for pre-order:  http://a.co/d/8DH9M5H

Make a Connection with Your Hero & Heroine with Humor

by Maureen L. Bonatch 

“Laugher is the shortest distance between two people.”- Victor Borge

When I met my husband everyone used to say that we were complete opposites, that they didn’t understand the connection. He is a loud, outgoing extrovert. I’m a quiet introvert. 

I used to always use the old saying as my rationale and insist that, “Opposites attract.” 

But since then, I’ve learned there was something underlying that drew us together in the first place, that forged the connection that we’ve maintained over decades. It’s a shared sense of humor. 

Various studies have shown that…  

• Women are attracted to men who make them laugh
• Inside jokes between couples helps to create a bond, establishes security, and helps relationships last longer
• Funny people are thought to be more social and more intelligent

Humor in Your Story Benefits Your Readers

Besides the fun you’ll have writing the story between your heroine and hero, you’ll be helping out your readers, too. That’s because laughter is more than just good for the soul, laughter is good for you, it can…

• Lower blood pressure
• Release endorphins
• Produce a general sense of well being
• Reduce stress hormone levels 

Hooking Up Your Hero and Heroine

So, the next time you’re looking for that connection between your hero and heroine, perhaps you can look a little further than skin deep. The color of your heroine’s hair might change through the years, and perhaps those massive muscles of your hero start to decline as their love grows and he has less time to devote to the gym. A shared sense of humor is timeless, and doesn’t fade over the years. It only nurtures the savored, favorite inside jokes and deepens the bond.

Wanna Tickle Your Funny Bone?

I love writing humor into my stories. GrandmaMust Die was great fun to create.

Carman has worn out more towns and last names than impractical shoes protecting the secret of her magic blood. 

But when a friend goes missing, and another is infected with a deadly spell, Carman must choose. 

Expose her magic blood by curing the spell—or stop the infection from spreading by killing the source…the grandmother.

Is a Sense of Humor High on Your Checklist of Essential Qualities in a Hero in Fiction and/or Reality?

About Me:

Maureen Bonatch dreamt of becoming a Solid Gold Dancer. When the show ended, she followed other paths. Surviving motherhood to twins (so far) gave her the confidence to learn belly dancing, declare herself a tequila connoisseur and act as biker babe with her alpha hubby. Maureen grew up in small town Pennsylvania and her love of the four seasons—biking, sweat pants, hockey and hibernation—kept her there. While immersed in writing or reading paranormal romance and fantasy, she survives on caffeine, wine, music and laughter. A feisty Shih Tzu keeps her in line.

Find Me:

Writing on my Website

Tweeting on Twitter

Pinning on Pinterest

Flapping on Facebook

A Chinese Crested Werewolf? by Deena Remiel

Don't know if you've learned this about me yet, but I'm allergic to all manner of furry animal. We tried putting me with all the different types of hypoallergenic animals and to no avail. Whether coated with fur or hair, I still sneezed and wheezed and broke out in hives. No big deal, I just don't have animals as pets.

Here's my problem. I love werewolves. From the moment I read my first shifter story, and watched my first wolfman movie, I was hooked. First, I'm always cold. They are heat factories. We're a match made in heaven already! Then, they are passionate with all their emotions. I gotta tell ya, it's rather nice having a mate get all alpha on me, making me feel like a prized possession every now and then, and getting all rough and tumble when we make love. Not all the time, mind you. I'm very much an alpha female and need to be equal partners. Also, they are loyal and mate for life. Since I'm alpha, too, I don't like my man, or were, to stray. Yes, it's all about me. Finally, they are carnivorous. I LOVE a good steak, folks. Can't lie. Will never be a vegetarian unless forced to be so. Heat, emotion, loyalty. Can't beat that!

   

But how can I possibly conduct a relationship with a werewolf if I can't be in the same room with him? If his very existence makes me sick? Shaving right after shifting is silly because it will grow back. Now don't laugh, this is a serious problem! I'm reminded a bit of Nicole Hicks' book, "No Dogs Allowed". Haven't read it? You should.

So I've thought long and hard about it, and I'm not willing to do what doctors tell me- STAY AWAY FROM SHIFTERS. Nope, I just can't do it. So I've researched and researched and come to the conclusion that I need to find a shifter that doesn't have so much hair. Big cats, bears, wolves, horses, and most dogs are out of the question. BUT, there is one dog that has only the tiniest bit of hair on top of its head and a little on it's paws- the Chinese Crested. There's also a naked cat called a Sphynx. My options are looking up.

  

Anyone know if they come in the "were" variety? ;)

The Good, Bad and Scary of my Muse...

...so, this week I've been doing nothing--well writing wise that is. I finished my dragon novel a few weeks ago and spent last weekend editing it up for the umpteenth time. I finished a short story last week, also featuring a dragon.

Apparently dragons are on my mind.

So, I vowed for this week I'd do nothing but catch up on housework I let slide during the writing process.

All was going well until (cue dramatic music here) my Muse got involved.

She doesn't like sitting around, cooling her heels, and she hates folding clothes so I suppose it was only natural she'd dig in deep and slap me upside the head with a new shiny idea for a full length book. I think we're going to shoot for 90K with this one too.

The premise this time? Straight up fantasy, old school style, except I plan to put my own personal spin on it by adding a liberal sprinkling of funny and snark. Yeah, I can't help it. And neither can my heroine. I can already feel it...

Anyway, the book is still in the planning stages and yes, I am a plotter and proud of it :-) I've got in a basic plot and have been filling it in here and there. I know alot of the secondary players, and boy are they larger than life. There's a twist and a secret. There's a villain and there will be a love story in there along the way. Just waiting for the h/h to talk to me a little bit more and reveal their histories, motivations, etc.

This is going to be fun. Why? Because the Muse showed up for work today clad in long skirts, a chain metal shirt and a sword belt slung around her hips.

Needless to say, it's on. I've never attempted a fantasy like this. It's a bit intimidating but it's exciting as all get out. I'm up for the challenge.

My question to you? If you're reading a fantasy novel, would humor distract you or would you find it a refreshing change to the genre? I'd love to know your thoughts.

I wanted to remind you all that I'll be participating in the BlogMania event on April 30th. I'm offering an awesome prize pack so drop by my Believing is Seeing blog for more details. The link is on the sidebar here.

And keep an eye peeled. Starting next week I'm kicking off my Fangs, Fur and Boys with Fast Toys Summer Blog Tour to showcase new book releases. I'll be giving away prizes with each stop. :-)

Until then, happy reading!

Interview with J. Morgan!

Today, I have the distinct pleasure of welcoming my friend and fellow Desert Breeze author, J. Morgan.

SS: Tell me a little about yourself. How long have you been writing? Have you always wanted to be a writer?


JM: Due to restraining orders and such, I'm not allowed to tell even a little about myself, but as soon as the government releases it from the Top Secret folder, you will be the first to know. Until then, I can give you my name, rank, and library card number. J. Morgan, but will answer to anything if dessert is involved. Rank, author in sanity absentee and library card number is too private a thing to share. We barely know each other.

Seriously—hey who said that?—but really I've been writing I think for my entire life, but didn't begin to take it serious until 2005. I sat down and over a few months wrote my first novel, which sucked a big one. I have the rejection letter to prove it. None too bright, I started on my second book. That one sucked a little less and was snapped up by a now defunct publisher, as was my next book. Since then, I've been writing nonstop, when not suffering from writer's block and an excess of life.


SS: Funny. Now I really want that library card number...Anyway, what genre do you like to write best in and why?

JM: I love paranormal and comedy. The two just seem to blend together so easily for me.

SS: How do you find ideas for your books?

JM: Everyday life and tons of TV and movies. Experience is the best place to find just the right balance between sanity and fiction. Sometimes they even blend together. Not often, but hey, you got to take the good with the sane.

SS: So true! How difficult is it for you to get into “writer’s mode”?

JM: Depends on my frame of mind. Some times it just flows and other times it's like self-dental work, sure it can be done, but you don't want to try it.


SS: I hope that means you haven't actually done the dental work thing... Hmm, tell me a little about your new book.

JM: Love to Stake Another Day is Book 2 in the Love Bites Series. This book takes up right where the first one left off. So if you missed Book 1 (Love at First Stake) go out right this instant and get it. You don't have to read the first book but it might help. Love To Stake Another Day is the story of Kristain and Lyssette who are after Val, the daughter of Rudolpho from Love at First Stake. They must track her down to save Lyssie's brother Eli. Along the way they fall in love, and find out about a conspiracy that could topple the new treaty between the Vampires and Humans.

SS: How did the inspiration for this work come to you?

JM: Love of vampires truly and wanting to do something besides make them brooding tragic figures. Because if I sucked blood to survive, I'd want to find something to laugh about it. Love Bites is more than romance. It's my homage to all the movies I've seen. I wanted to translate that high octane action into book form. Think of Love Bites as my Star Wars.

SS: Awesome. Can't wait to read it. Do you identify with the characters you write about?

JM: You have to identify with your characters or you wouldn't be writing them. I use my friends as the basis for my characters so it's like talking to a friend when I write them but, believe, me my buds would never let me throw them into the situations I put my characters in.

SS: How many books do you have in print/e-print now? Do you have a favorite?

JM: Love to Stake Another Day marks my 6th. I hate picking favorites. They're all my favs and picking just one would tear me apart.

SS: I never thought about it that way before. Do you have a “day” job? How do you balance both “worlds”?

JM: Like most writers I do have a day job. There is no balancing the two. A good day at work means a good day writing. A bad day—oh boy—you might as well hang up writing anything.


SS: What a wise and learned author you are! What piece of advice do you have for aspiring writers that you wished someone told you when you started?

JM: Treat writing as acting, only on paper. If you can't slip into your character's mind, how can you expect a reader to do it? That is perhaps the best advice I've ever gotten.

SS: What is your next project?

JM: I just finished up Where Love Blooms, which will come out in January from Desert Breeze Publishing and I am currently working on Love Free Stake Hard Book 3 in the Love Bites Series. Looks like my brain will be vampy fried before the new year.


SS: Awesome. If you could interview any of the characters in your books, which one would it be, and why? What shocking thing might that character say?

JM: I have interviewed him. Stud Lee Monkey from MisStaked and you won't believe the things he said. Let's just say I won't let that monkey out of his box again for awhile.

SS: This may be a loaded question but what else would you like to share?

JM: I don't share my Oreos, so that's out. I think I'll share a fond wish for everyone to have a wonderful and safe Holiday Season. And if you find time in the coming hustle and bustle check me out on the internet at any of these links….

http://www.freewebs.com/jmorganslair/
http://themorgandiaries.blogspot.com/
myspace.com/jmorganslair
http://www.facebook.com/JmorganAuthor

Love to Stake Another Day

Lyssette Ravell finds herself smack dab in the middle of a mess her brother started. When a new threat surfaces to threaten the Vampire/Human alliance recently set in place, she finds herself teamed with Kristain Marshall, who just so happens to be her almost brother-in-law.

Sent to rescue her brother Eli from the clutches of Rudolpho's daughter Valerious, Lyssette finds more than she bargained for. There's a traitor on the Vampire Council. Now, Lyssette must save her brother, root out this traitor and at the same time avoid at all cost falling in love with Kristain, the one man who could make her forget all the vows she's ever taken as an agent of the VCI.


http://stores.desertbreezepublishing.com/-strse-45/%3Ci%3ELove-Bites-Book-Two-cln-%3C-fdsh-i%3E/Detail.bok

SS: Thanks for the refreshing glimpse into you world! Let me tell you folks, I've read the first book in this series and I can definitely recommend it. Buy one or five copies now!