My daughter and her friends loved the Web Dollz that you could create online. I found the Dollzmania site and it’s lots of fun. You can create all kinds of Dollz and things like this Blinkie. You can also create glitter graphics with all different sayings and the like.

The best part about it! You don’t have to register and it’s free so you can bling up your website, Myspace or Facebook to your heart’s content! They do have a members section with even more, but I like to bling without registering.

So, if you’ve got some time to play, visit Dollzmania and check out all their cool stuff.

As a parent, there’s lots of challenges you face, some more difficult than others. Recently, I’ve been dealing with the fact that my child has gone Bimetro. What’s Bimetro you may ask? I think pictures explain it better than words right now.

Here we are last year during happier times namely, before the most momentous collapse in baseball history.

Here she is, my child, in the Bimetro phase!

Need I say anything more? Have you, too, suffered through this Bimetro phase with one of your children? Do they have one foot planted at home and another in a different city, their loyalties so brutally divided? VBG!

Have you suffered through this Bimetro phase yourself? Torn between loyalties? It’s okay to come clean now that we’ve gotten this syndrome out in the open.

This week’s Wicked Wednesday brings you another installment of my urban fantasy involving a twist to the werewolf mythology, battles with vampires and a struggle for control in a werewolf pack. The tentative title is UNDEAD UPRISING and I hope you like this next free chapter that I’m offering you.

Ramon has made love to Catalina to help her maintain her human form for as long as she can, but now the transformation begins and Ramon must watch helplessly as Catalina becomes the wolf she hates.

For those of you who may have missed the first seven chapters, you can read them here:

• Chapter 1
• Chapter 2
• Chapter 3
• Chapter 4
• Chapter 5
• Chapter 6
• Chapter 7

He quickly slipped from her side and stood to view her transformation. It began slowly at first, with the thickening of her muscles and the shift of them as they rearranged themselves. As the change gathered speed, Catalina writhed on the bed, yanked at the chains. Moaned as bones, sinew and muscle moved and morphed. Parts of her body popped and cracked as they slipped in and out of place.

He could only wonder at the agony it brought her. As a doctor, he knew just how a human reacted to such trauma. Did Catalina feel it as well?

Combined with the violence attacking her muscles and bones, fur quickly sprouted. A thick rich fur obliterated her alabaster skin. Finally, her beautiful face elongated, her mouth and lips losing most semblance of the human as her wolf’s muzzle erupted. She uttered something. It sounded like his name, but was lost in the growing cavity of her wolf’s mouth. In the strong jaws that could take life with just one snap.

Razor sharp fangs emerged. Glistened brightly. He imagined her slashing and killing with them. The wolf totally assumed control now. A wolf like no other within the pack.

Despite the many months they had shared together, the change still fascinated him. Maybe even repulsed as well.

Catalina’s wolf pulled at the shackles, trying to free itself. Bayed loudly at the frustration of imprisonment. When long minutes passed and the transformation finished, the animal’s attempts for freedom lessened, as if it sensed that to struggle against the restraints would be useless.

Ramon laid a hand on the wolf’s side and brushed the silky fur, a reddish brown color unique amongst all the wolves. A color so much like Catalina’s hair that he wanted to weep for the woman trapped within the beast. The werewolf didn’t shift beneath his caress, but whimpered, like a dog in pain and maybe it was. Maybe this was still Catalina responding to him. To his anguish on her behalf.

He met the werewolf’s gaze and as always, Catalina’s green-gold eyes stared back. The look there screamed human, which made him risk it all to reach up and rub his hand gently over her head. At that, the large animal closed its eyes and finally stopped struggling against its bonds.

He was mesmerized by the differences between Catalina’s wolf and a real one. Hands which while not human, could still grasp a weapon. The wolf-like body that could walk and fight upright, but on all fours, loped along elegantly. Quickly. A body stronger and larger than a real wolf and therefore, more dangerous.

Ramon gave Catalina’s head one final stroke, and then rushed over to secure the door to the room. Striding back across the large space, he armed himself from the weapons closet. He eased on the specially made armor — a gift from Catalina. Buckled on not one but two swords and for good measure, grabbed a loaded shotgun. The shells in the gun were packed with silver pellets laced with silver nitrate. Equally as effective against a vampire or werewolf.

Remembering what had happened in the last few days, uneasiness grabbed him more completely now that Catalina lay defenseless. He snatched a few extra shells and tucked them into his pocket. After, he returned to the pallet in which Catalina’s wolf rested and sat on the floor beside it, the shotgun across his lap; the swords within easy reach.

If anything decided to try and take advantage, they would have to get through him first. He only hoped he would be strong enough. With one last look back at Catalina, he considered what would happen if he had to set her free to protect herself.

He prayed the wolf might remember who he was and spare his life.

Copyright 2008 Caridad Pineiro Scordato www.caridad.com

The weather’s warmer and I’m already out there working on my tiny ponds and getting my fingers in the dirt. One thing that’s helped me keep the flower beds green and with color is the addition of lots and lots of perennials in my garden! They come up every year, but they do flower at different times so you have to do some research to have constant color. Still the research is worth eliminating the back-breaking labor of replanting big portions of your flower beds every year.

The other nice thing about perennials is that they’re like a living journal of the places you’ve been and the people you meet. For example, I’ve got some day lilies in my garden that were originally given to my mom by a friend in the Rockaways nearly thirty years ago. I took a few lilies from my parents’ home to plant in my first home and took some from there to this house. I’ll likely take a few lilies to my next place as well!

Also have other perennials that my sis and I have shared and some from other friends so every time I see the yard, the memories of them come back to me when I see the plants they gave to me.

Here are some of my favorite perennials. Some of them are very easy to grow and propogate so you can give them to friends or use in other parts of your yard.

Daylily: If you can’t grow these, you’ve got major trouble in the plant department. In fact, many varieties need to be thinned out every couple of years since they propagate so quickly. That’s good because you can move them to other places in your yard and eliminate the bare spots. Daylilies will grow in virtually every kind of soil and sun combo. The other good thing is that you can now get some varieties that flower all year long and in lots of different colors from reds so deep they almost look black to lemony yellows. I’ve even got a version with multiple rows of petals.

Echinicea: You’ve probably heard of these plants since they are used in many herbal remedies. Echinacea are hardy and quite colorful in the late summer. The plant is also commonly known as the purple coneflower, but it also comes in a white version.

Astilbe: Astilbe are shade-loving and throw up tall spikes of small feathery blooms that last for a couple of weeks. They come in all kinds of colors and look lovely swaying in the breeze. Not as easy to propagate, but they do create tiny little plants each year which will grow to maturity within a year or so.

Black-eyed Susan:We first saw these on a trip to visit cousins in Maryland, apropos since it’s the state flower of Maryland. My mom brought some black-eyed Susans back with her and now I have a bunch in my garden which remind me of my mom every time I see them. Black-eyed Susans are quite prolific and can actually become like a weed at times, but the offer lots of late summer cheer and are easy to grow. They are in the Rudbeckia family and there are varieties out there that have other colors, like a deep orange with dark striations.

So, you’ve got some perennials in your garden, but they’re not in bloom right now. What do you do to keep full color for the spring, summer and fall? Well, plant some annuals in between the perennials and you’ll have the best of both worlds. My favorite annuals - pansies for starters. I love the velvety look of their leaves and their intense colors. You can plant viola, a perennial, that looks much like a pansy, but generally has smaller blooms!

Hope this Tuesday Tip gets you going in the garden this weekend!

Also - the Brenda Novak Diabetes Auction is in full swing and you can bid on a number of items! I’ve donated a few things and you can click here to bid on a critique and some books! This is for a great cause and there are some amazing prizes, so please drop by.

Finally — a major congrats to Kimberly Lang, from THE WRITING PLAYGROUND who sold her first book to Mills & Boon Modern Heat! I’m going to drop by today to congratulate Kimberly and you can as well! Just click here to visit THE WRITING PLAYGROUND!

He can play football and he can dance! What more can you ask? Well, he’s damn sexy as well!

Today’s Guilty Pleasure is Jason Taylor and if you like today’s picture, you can get it for your desktop at Jason’s site by clicking here.

Jason plays for the Miami Dolphins although there’s a lot of conjecture on ESPN and other sports networks as to whether he’ll be back with the Dolphins this year. Regardless, we’re lucky to be seeing him on Dancing with the Stars. Here’s a widget for you so you can keep track of Jason and what’s up on Dancing with the Stars.

This Fun Friday is all about dancing! That’s me and Big John, tripping the light fantastic at the Ellora’s Cave party at RT. Well, at least I’m trying to dance since unfortunately, I’m a Cuban who can’t shake her booty. I can just about keep the rhythm of the beat and maybe do a little move now and then.

I guess that’s why I secretly have watched Dancing with the Stars off and on. I really admire people who can dance. My mom and dad could really dance and as a kid I’d sit on the stairs and watch them during a party when I should have been in bed. They were so graceful and enjoyed it so much.

How about you? Can you shake your booty or move your groove thing (that is about dancing, right? Vertical dancing, correct?)Don’t know what kind of dancing you do?

Well then, check out this very funny take on the Evolution of Dance from Judson Laipply! Watch and try to think about how many of these evolutionary phases you’ve danced through in your life.

Politics. Lately it’s everywhere you go, unavoidable and unappealing.

Why unappealing? There’s an old joke about lawyers that sums up my feelings lately about politics and politicians and it goes like this:

Question: When do you know politicians are lying?
Answer: When their lips are moving.

Let me make it clear I’m not talking about any politician in general, but rather, the species as a whole and may I point out that there are probably lots of exceptions within the species. But for now . . .

Wouldn’t it be refreshing if our politicians gave us their real opinions, even if they knew they’d be unpopular? Or took a hard stand on something they believed in rather than looking at the polls to see what to do? Wouldn’t it be nice if they actually did something for a change instead of just trying to grandstand one another or win points for either party instead of working for the people?

What would I want them to do? Maybe finally start addressing the following problems which are tops on my list. Are they tops on your list?

2. Oil prices! Don’t you think it’s time to tap U.S. oil reserves and develop new energy platforms?

Some ideas to consider on this Thoughtful Thursday since we’ve still got a lot of campaigning to survive!

The weather here is finally starting to warm, reminding me of Spring Break nights in South Beach, before the heat and humidity of a Miami summer make it unpleasant.

With such thoughts running through my brain (and me wanting to ask my boss if I can sit outside and work!), I figured it was time for a quick trip back to South Beach.

This little excerpt is about Virginia and Pablo, Sylvia’s parents who are in the throes of their own romance during the course of the SOUTH BEACH CHICAS CATCH THEIR MAN novel. The original version contained a lot more background about their early romance, but it was just too much to include. I am very thankful, however, that my editors loved the idea of showing a vital fortysomething woman coming to grips with a lost love.

These scene is in SOUTH BEACH CHICAS CATCH THEIR MAN and I hope you enjoy it!

The night progressed leisurely, with the two of them talking, mostly about the villa and the renovations, and sharing the delicious meal and of course, Pablo’s wine. She was almost sorry when Pablo took away the dishes for the dessert, since she hated for the interlude to end.

“This has been lovely,” she said, fiddling with her napkin as it sat on the tabletop.

He covered her hand with his. “Who says the night is over?”

As he twined his fingers with hers, he stood and she went with him, following him to the lower landing of the patio near the water. She realized there was a small boombox on the side railing of the veranda.

Pablo detoured by there only long enough to turn it on and adjust the volume until the low melodious tones of the music drifted through the night. With an impatient tug on her hand, he led her to the center of the landing.

Virginia stumbled a bit on one of the slabs, but Pablo caught her in his arms.

“I must have that fixed,” he said as he wrapped his arms around her waist and brought her close.

“Yes, of course. Fix it,” she replied, although she was grateful for the floor’s rather timely intervention since left to her own devices, she would definitely not be pressed to his hard body and that would have truly been a shame.

She laid her head against his chest and swayed with him to the nearly indistinct sounds of the music. The low bass beats carried through the night air, slightly louder. Or maybe it was the beat of her heart. Of his. Low and steady. Close against her breast.

He moved one hand up and placed it in the middle of her back. His skin hot. The roughness of it enticing.

She picked up her head and met his gaze. His eyes seemed an even darker green in the dim light, but his smile was brilliant as he asked, “Are you having a nice time?”

With a nod, she said, “Very nice. There’s only one thing that might make it even nicer.”

His smile broadened and he dipped his head until his lips were only an inch from hers. “De verdad? And what would that be?”

She raised herself on tiptoe, eliminating that final inch of distance. With a whisper against his lips, she said, “This.”

The kiss began innocently enough, with the simple meeting of their lips. Followed by another kiss and then another until they were straining toward each other, hungry for more.

“Maybe it’s time we went somewhere — “

“More private?” she said and without missing a beat, snagged his hand and led him back toward the limo, where Pablo asked the driver to take them for a ride around town.

He helped her into the back seat, slipped in beside her and immediately put up the privacy screen. After, he reached for her and eased her onto his lap where once again, they resumed the kiss.

Virginia opened her mouth to his, accepted the thrust of his tongue. He tasted like his wine and the sweet berries they had shared for dessert. In between kisses, she said, “Sylvia warned me about this.”

“Really? But who kissed who first, amorcito?” he teased and worked his way to the edge of her mouth and then down to the crook of her neck and shoulder.

She held his head to her, shuddered as he sucked there and then soothed the spot with a kiss. “That feels good.”

“Hmm. I’d like to feel that, too,” he confessed and with clumsy fingers, she undid his tie and shirt collar, bent her head and sucked on him.

His skin was salty. Undeniably masculine. The muscles of his upper shoulder firm. She bit down and he groaned, slipped his hand to the middle of her back and urged her closer.

But the only way to accomplish that was to straddle his legs, which she did, bringing the hard length of his erection to nestle between her legs.

She paused at the pressure of him there and looked down at him. “You do have protection, don’t you? I promised Sylvia I’d be responsible.”

Pablo chuckled and laid his hands at her waist, keeping her hips immobile. “I’ve heard it said that children get in the way of romance. I just never thought it would happen quite like this.”

Virginia laughed and cradled his face in her hands. “Is this a romance or are we two sad, old people grasping at our youth?”

The mirth on Pablo’s face softened, but didn’t completely recede. With care and patience, he slipped his hand beneath the edge of her dress. Slowly moved upward until he was cupping her naked breast in his hand. Her nipple beaded immediately and he smiled at that.

“Old? I’ve always heard that a woman in her forties is at her prime sexual peak.” As if to emphasize his point, he grasped the tip of her nipple and gently caressed it, drawing a gasp from her.

“It seems that may be right,” he said . . .

Copyright 2007 Caridad Pineiro Scordato, www.caridad.com

Okay, it’s a tough job, but someone’s got to do it! Reuters is reporting that researchers in the United Kingdom “will explore whether compounds called flavonoids found in chocolate and other foods can reduce the risk of heart disease for menopausal women with type 2 diabetes. . .”

In order to conduct the studies, they need volunteers. I suspect they may find themselves with a waiting list of volunteers.

Actually, not eating the chocolate is one of the hardest things about my diet/lifestyle change. I love chocolate. Actually, who doesn’t love chocolate (although come to think of it, my daughter doesn’t like chocolate!).

So what can you do to make the chocolate count?

Well, according to some, dark chocolate can help lower high blood pressure.

Dark chocolate contains flavonoids which are anti-oxidants and can protect against free radicals which can cause heart disease. These flavonoids are present in red wine, tea, all kinds of berries, nuts and other fruits and vegetables. The flavonoids in chocolate are called flavonols and they help build nitric oxide in your body.

What does nitric oxide do? Some studies suggest that this compound helps keep blood flowing and prevents platelets from sticking together to cause clots, leading to a healthier heart.

A CNN report indicated that chocolate can also improve your skin, boost memory and attention span by increasing blood flow to the brain! Not to mention that dark chocolate has been linked to reducing bad cholesterol!

So, have a bit of chocolate (the darker the better), but remember that chocolate has lots of fat and usually sugar so moderation is key. I found some organic sugar free dark chocolate that only had about 200 calories per serving and was pretty tasty. The serving size on that bar was 9 squares of chocolate which was more than I needed for the typical craving, so I was able to keep calorie/fat down by eating less of it each time.

The Hershey’s Sugar Free chocolates are pretty good as well and according to their nutrition facts, a 16 gram bar has 80 calories (35 from fat).

Also try Almond M&Ms, which have 200 calories per serving (100 fat calories however). The Almond M&M’s have the added benefit of the almonds which are also high in antioxidants.

Want to share your love of chocolate? Check out Virtual Chocolate, on online website totally dedicated to what else — chocolate!

Hope this Tuesday Tip helps with your chocolate cravings!

Seems apropo to bring you Jesse L. Martin this Monday since last week was Martin’s final episode on the long-running Law & Order show. Always elegant and professional, Martin’s presence on the show helped soothe the loss of Jerry Orbach. Martin and Orbach were perfect together and both will be sorely missed.

As for whether Martin is hot . . . Well, I always thought he was a totally sexy man and so did many of my friends! There’s just something so silently sensual about his look and the way he moves . . .

Besides being a hottie, Martin is an accomplished actor who has been on numerous shows and was also one of the original cast members of the popular Broadway show RENT. He reprised his role in the recently released film version of that show.

Here’s a clip from that final show courtesy of the NBC website!

We’ve been teased with a bit of spring weather in New York and like most office denizens, we can’t wait to head out once the weather gets nice. I work with my sis and one of our favorite places to go for a picnic lunch is the Tudor City Greens which are about two blocks from our office.

The Tudor City Greens are these beautiful little parks and playgrounds tucked one story above 42nd Street. Quiet and serene, they’re a great place to get away from the noisy bustle of Midtown Manhattan. Another little known fact, there’s a bridge across 42nd Street that joins the two Tudor City Greens parks and if you stand smack in the middle of that bridge, you can see the East River and Long Island on one side and to the west, the Palisades and New Jersey. As far as I know, it’s the only spot on Manhattan Island where you can see from one side of the island to the other.

Of course, what do you wear when that Spring tease of weather emerges and you need a jacket in the morning and night? After seeing all the women out on the streets of New York in the past few days, the answer to this fashion question is clear — a denim jacket!

So, today’s Fashion Friday is about denim jackets!

Now, I’m inherently frugal (translation cheap) and for me the best buys on denim are generally at Old Navy, especially toward the end of season when they are busy slashing prices. But even when they are not on sale, it’s tough to get a better deal.

Here’s what Old Navy is offering this season:

The jacket on the left is your traditional slightly distressed denim jacket while the one on the right is Old Navy’s Plus Size version. Both are nice and fairly affordable so you can add them to your collection. Best thing is, get a classically-styled jacket and it only gets better with age as the denim fades and softens with wear (dare we say how sexy men look in a nicely aged denim jacket that hugs those broad shoulders and lean waists?)

You can pair a denim jacket with dress pants and a nice top for a slightly casual look or of course, with jeans and a simple top for a totally casual look. Just make sure the denim on the jacket doesn’t clash with the denim in the pants. The color and texture of the denim should be close.

You may also find sometimes that too much denim doesn’t work, making you look way too big. Depending on your body type, opt for a darker color to slim down problem areas and leave the denim for your better half.

Hope today’s Fashion Friday tip helped!

Have a great weekend.

There’s a Native American proverb that says that we do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, but rather borrow it from our children.

With Earth day just having passed, it made me think not only about the environment today, but what steps we are taking for the future and how that will impact on things. I know the things that I try to do and maybe you can do them as well.

As a writer, I tend to use a lot of paper, but I’ve tried to cut back on that by doing more editing on my laptop and using both sides of the paper when I do have to print. Also, I try to do submissions electronically and if people ask me for reviews, I ask them to send their ARCs electronically. No sense losing a tree for a review.

Will I ever give up books in print for just e-books? I’m not sure I can do that since I love the feel of a book in my hands and there’s just too many e-book formats running around for me to plunk down major money on what might be the next Betamax or HD-DVD.

I recycle bottles and cans, although I’m a little worse at recycling the latter. The problem is that I usually drink soda out of cans in my office and I don’t have a separate recycle wastebasket there, so I plan on being better about that so that next Earth Day, I can say I took a positive step toward preserving the earth for my munchkin.

I drive green, meaning I try to watch my speed and not do jack rabbit starts or other things that unnecessarily eat up gas. My cars are relatively fuel efficient, but I’d definitely go to an American-made Hybrid if I could get the fuel in my area. Why American-made? Well, that’s a topic for a whole ‘nother discussion.

Why not hybrid now? Well, I noticed a Flex-Fuel SUV the other day while I was in Philly and thought, why not get one when I need a new car? Of course, I looked up where I could get Ethanol 85 in my area and the closest filling station was 45 miles away! So I’d waste fuel to get fuel and that makes absolutely no sense.

What else do I do? I try to shut off any lights I’m not using and chase after my husband and daughter who leave lights on all over the house. Also try to conserve water when I can, although it’s tough to cut back on that long morning shower that gets me going every day.

Finally, I love plants as you may have guessed from the shots of my garden last year! I plant trees and other things when I can and try to conserve those trees that I have in my yard. Plus, I’ve been active in trying to save/perserve our local wetlands, farm lands and a pond. Not an easy thing, but the combined efforts of many managed to preserve many acres of wetlands, a small hardwood forest and a pond. These efforts also helped raise money for a local horse ranch that conservationists are trying to keep in its natural state.

So, ask yourself what you can do while you’re borrowing this Earth from your children. Every little bit does help in keeping the Earth healthy so that our children and their children may enjoy it.

Today’s Wicked Wednesday is a little treat from my NY Times and USA Today Bestseller MOON FEVER, an anthology with the amazing Maggie Shayne, Susan Sizemore and Lori Handeland. I loved creating a mythology based on shapeshifters and setting it in the Amazon. My hope was that you’d not only enjoy seeing a different kind of creature, but that you’d take away some of the concerns about human encroachment and destruction of the Amazon rainforest.

Today’s tidbit comes after the heroine, Jessica, is attacked outside her hut and the hero, Javier, comes to her rescue — not that she needs rescuing!

Also, my friend LA Banks sent a link to some pictures from RT, so click here to check them out!

Jessica took hold of his hand and led him into the hut.

She flipped on a battery-powered lantern she had brought with her and quickly pulled a small first aid kit from her supplies. Placing the kit on the desk to one side of the hut, she removed what she would need to dress the wound.

As she turned, she realized Javier had come to stand close and her elbow brushed across the hard muscles of his midsection, reminding her of all his blatant masculinity.

“Sorry,” she mumbled, but then laid a hand against the taut muscles at his waist to urge him to toward the light so she could examine the nature of the wound.

The knife had caught him across a rib, preventing the blade from biting too deeply, but the long cut would need to be closed somehow. “This may hurt,” she said as she wet a piece of gauze with some antiseptic.

“I think I can handle it,” he replied, but he flinched and his muscles jumped as she applied the gauze to his side. He muttered a curse beneath his breath even though her touch was gentle as she cleansed the area.

She told herself not to appreciate his amazing body as she worked, but it was nearly impossible with so much lean muscle and creamy skin so enticingly close. She hurried as much as she could, using the various butterfly bandages in her kit to close the gaping edges of the wound before taping a piece of gauze over the injury.

Lightly she smoothed the tape around the edges of the gauze, trying to ignore his physical presence. Trying not to see how the reddish rosette patterns played across his skin and the palm bands hugged an impossibly lean waist and thick-muscled chest.

As she shot a glance up at him, she realized that he was as affected as she, no matter their earlier enmity. His breath was ragged, but not with pain.

With desire.

He bent from his greater height until the edge of his jaw brushed the side of her forehead. His breath was warm against the sweat-damp skin there.

She stroked her hand over the gauze covering the wound, but he laid his hand there and stilled the motion.

His hand was hot. His palm deliciously rough and the pull came between her legs again as she imagined him touching her. Her nipples tightened in anticipation and to battle that feeling she asked, “Who was that man who attacked us?”

Javier stroked her hand lightly. Slowly shifted his hand upward to caress her forearm. “One of Armando’s goons.”

Needing to touch him as he caressed her, she picked up her other hand and mimicked his action, laying her hand on the sculpted biceps of his arm. As she stroked the hard moist flesh there, she asked, “Is the timber valuable enough — “

“To kill for? No. Armando has other reasons for hurting the tribe,” he said, moving his hand upward to cup the top of her arm, where he lightly caressed her skin with the pad of his thumb.

Her gaze locked with his, searching the strange gold-green gaze which revealed nothing but desire.

“What kinds of reasons?” she asked as she shifted her hand to his chest and traced the edge of the palm band encircling it. As she did, she fingered the hard nub of his nipple, dragging a ragged breath from him.

“Isn’t it enough for you to know you need to watch yourself?” Even as he said it, he cradled her breast and tweaked her nipple between his thumb and forefinger, causing a shudder to rip through her body.

“Well?” he challenged as he snaked his hand upward, slipped it beneath the edge of her tank top and drew down both the shirt and her bra to reveal her breast.

“Do you think you’re owed this little look because you came to my rescue?” she asked, but didn’t stop him as he lowered his head to taste the nipple he had exposed. If anything, she held him close, cradling the back of his head with her hand as she said, “Or do you think this is how to say thanks for my tending to you?”

He chuckled against her breast and gave an enticing lick with a cat-rough tongue before pulling away.

“You’re quite different from what I expected,” he said, stepping back to break contact with her as she rearranged her clothing, suddenly embarrassed by the unexpected interlude. It had to be the alcohol and guarana she told herself, denying her attraction to him was based on anything else.

“Why’s that?” she said, crossing her arms before her as if to provide some defense against his still hungry gaze.

“Because you’ve got more balls than most men I’ve met. Regardless, remember to be careful in the jungle tomorrow.”

With that he turned and walked out of the hut, leaving her to ponder just what had gone so wrong that she already had someone after her ass.

As she recalled Javier’s gifted mouth, she amended that thought with a smile.

Make that two people after her ass because she had no doubt that she and Javier would eventually finish what they had started tonight, although part of her was annoyed that he had managed to deflect her questions by arousing her passions.

She had come here in part for answers. To find out about the plant with the healing powers. To learn more about where Victor had died and possibly the why of it.

After today’s run-ins with Armando and his goons, she was wondering if they had anything to do with her friend’s death and vowed to find out.

As promised, here’s some photos from this year’s RT Convention in Pittsburgh! I had a great time with my friends and meeting lots of interesting new people. The panels were great and very exciting. We had standing room only for a number of them! Met lots of booksellers, readers and other authors not to mention the cover models.

If you’re not seeing the file below, try clicking on this link to view the file (FLASH is required)(and it may take a little bit for it to load since there’s lots of photos!): Romantic Times Photos

To advance through the photos, click on one of the blue arrows at the bottom left hand side of the slides.

OMG! I can’t believe I didn’t blog for you during the RT Convention, but it was impossible!! I ended up on about 8 or 9 panels and the days were longer than I thought they would be. I do have some nice pictures for you of various cover models and authors and will be uploading them tonight for you.

Even though I did all those panels, I had a great time and met so many wonderful people. I’ll write in greater depth tonight when I’ve got a little more time!

Sorry to not have given you a Fun Friday, but I’ve been swamped with both legal and writing work!! Plus, I’m off to RT. Hey Gretchen, there’s that picture of me and Adrian (NOT!)(although I am probably that short compared to him!).

I will try to get a picture for you, but as I mentioned, they are charging for that meal so I’ll have to stalk the corridors, waiting for him. LOL!

On another note, since I am going to RT, look for me to be a roving reporter this week from the trenches of this amazing romance book convention. Hopefully I can provide you some comments from other romance writers, booksellers, readers, the parties, you name it! Also, I’ll be blogging on the RT site on Thursday as well as offering some workshops. I’ll try to get a link for you soon.

Have a great Monday and I’ll keep you posted on my wild times at the convention.

For the past couple of years I’ve been headed to the RT Convention to meet booksellers, fellow writers and the amazing readers of romance.

Notice I didn’t mention the cover models. Much as I appreciate a good cover model (such as the one that appeared on my first book in 1999 and which also happened to grace the cover of RT), I sometimes worry whether putting so much focus on them loses sight of what’s between the covers. (Don’t worry, Gretchen, I will try to get that photo of Adrian Paul for you!).

I do like meeting the cover models as people though, since many of them are such wonderful down-to-earth guys.

And yes, I’m guilty of this fascination with six packs and firm buns since I love a good Guilty Pleasure as we all do on Monday mornings. But I know what I like even more — the story between the covers!

How do you feel about the cover models and our fascination with them? Do you ever buy a book just on the basis of the man on the cover?

I know that I certainly will pick up a book with a nice hunk on the cover, but not necessarily buy it after I read the jacket blurb. Of course, there are covers which don’t have nearly naked men on them and which catch my eye.

Here’s your chance to weigh in on the cover models! Love ‘em, hate ‘em, indifferent. Which are you?

Before we get to this Wednesday’s Wicked Excerpt, a big WOO HOO to the women of THE BIGGEST LOSER who finished 1 and 2 and may actually become the FIRST female Biggest Loser winner! Now, you can help make that happen since for the first time ever, THE BIGGEST LOSER is allowing the audience to chose who will be the third finalist!

So how can you help the women win? Vote for Mark to be the third finalist! Why Mark? He has less weight to lose and may not post as big a weight loss as Roger. Also, Mark has really shown that he’s a changed man in many ways. Give him a break since he would have likely been the women’s choice for the third finalist as well. To vote for Mark, please click here!

So now, here’s this week’s Wicked Wednesday which brings you yet a little heat from a story you’ve seen before — my urban fantasy involving a twist to the werewolf mythology, battles with vampires and a struggle for control in a werewolf pack. The tentative title is UNDEAD UPRISING and I hope you like this next free chapter that I’m offering you.

This is the continuation of the love scene between Ramon and Catalina as Ramon tries to help Catalina maintain her human form for as long as she can before her transformation to the wolf she hates.

For those of you who may have missed the first six chapters, you can read them here:

• Chapter 1
• Chapter 2
• Chapter 3
• Chapter 4
• Chapter 5
• Chapter 6

He slipped his body between her thighs and brought his mouth to the center of her. As he nibbled and sucked at her clitoris, he slipped his fingers inside her vagina, his strokes sure and increasing in strength and penetration when she responded more eagerly to his caresses.

She pushed her hips up into his mouth and hands, pulled at the shackles keeping her prisoner. Every movement of her body, of Ramon’s tongue and lips and fingers, brought her closer and closer to the edge until finally, something inside of her — maybe the wolf that was so close to being released — took hold and sent her senses tumbling on a wild ride.

She gasped. Her head fell back as she called out her completion.

Ramon experienced her climax beneath his fingers as it crashed through her body. He heard her wild call. Not a gentle, satisfying release that would leave her sated, but a savage hunger that still wanted more because the wolf waited to emerge.

He sensed it in her body, although he didn’t know how, but he did. It brought both fascination and fear. Shooting but a quick glance at his watch to check the time, he confirmed that the moon would be rising shortly.

Catalina knew that the beast threatened as well, for she whispered to him, “Keep me with you for just a little longer, amor.”

He knew what she needed. Sex and pain helped her to keep control, if only for a few minutes more. That was important to her. But he couldn’t relent and make love to her. Doing so would lead them on a road to much greater agony.

Catalina watched as he stood and stepped away from her. For a moment he hesitated, standing beside the edge of the bed and looking down at her. She hoped he would undo his pants and release the magnificent erection beneath the denim. She ached to feel him inside her. To hold him. She yanked at her restraints, aching to hold him, but he had done too good a job. She could not get free.

“Easy, love,” he said, sat on the edge of the bed, and caressed her breast. “I’m not going anywhere.”

His hand trembled at her breast for a moment and his tender gaze met hers. “We both know we can’t.”

“I’m sorry. I know this hurts you.”

He grasped her nipple between his thumb and forefinger and tweaked it harshly, dragging a gasp of pleasure from her. With a tight smile, he wondered aloud, “Maybe I like the pain as much as you do? Maybe that’s why I linger here when I should leave.”

Even as he said that, the first stirring of the wolf crept into the edges of her consciousness. The wolf who devoured the scents of her musk, ripe in the air. The rapid beat of his heart and his unfulfilled passion. Saliva dampened her mouth at the thought of feeding on that passion. On his flesh. She shook her head, forcing such feral thoughts away.

“Por favor. It’s coming.” As her gaze met his, he recognized her plea for what it was.

“Stay with me, amor,” he said and slipped his hand down between her legs once more, found her with his fingers.

Sensitized from her barely completed climax, his touch immediately brought a response.

He stroked her roughly, rousing the desire she wrapped around herself like a protective cloak. She concentrated on the movement of his fingers. The slip and slide and pull of them. On the sensitive skin on her back, awakened with each restless shift of her body.

She howled, but the combination of pain and passion helped her drive the beast away. After the howl, she quickly met his gaze. His troubled eyes, dark with emotion, asked what he could not.

“I’m . . . here,” she confirmed and yanked at the chains on the wall in frustration at the rumble of the wolf in her voice. She closed her eyes, focused on his fingers caressing her nether lips and clitoris. Imagined that it was something else, stroking, bringing the heat of sexual release. A heat that felt almost cold now compared to the fire building within her body as it prepared to transform.

Ramon must have felt it also since he plunged his fingers inside her with more force, trying to satisfy her in the only way his honor allowed. A way far removed from what she wanted, but that she would accept . . . for now.

She called out at the pleasure of his fingers filling her and opened her eyes, kept them trained on his face as he pleasured her, his movements sure and strong, growing more forceful as her body responded yet again to his caresses.

Her breath rasped raggedly in her throat. Her body shook with not only the pleasure he brought to her, but with the awakening wolf as her muscles clenched and quivered, battling for dominance. She tugged at the chains and kept her mind centered solely on her lover as he moved his hand between her legs. As he dipped his head and suckled at her nipples and then, with a rough bite, brought a pleasure strong enough to let her hold onto herself. To keep the wolf in check.

He picked up his head at her human cry of satisfaction and knew that what was she needed. What she wanted. Pain. Human pain. Passion. A woman’s passion.

Replacing his lips with his fingers, he tweaked her nipples more forcefully. Buried his head in the crook of her neck and sucked until her skin bruised from the force of it.

“Dios, that’s . . . good. Harder, mi amor. Harder,” she urged him on.

When he tightened his fingers on the sensitive tips of her breasts and bit down on her neck, she cried out her need and raised her hips. He returned his hand to her center, increasing his penetration until it, too, reached the point of pleasure-pain. All that was within her consciousness now was his presence. His love keeping her with him until finally, regretfully, another climax ripped through her.

Ramon’s breath was rough with his own need as Catalina’s release rocked his senses. As she screamed his name in her human voice and struggled against the shackles to be able to hold him, he sucked in a breath and imprisoned the desire raging in him. One that wanted to tear off his clothes and plunge into her, howl like the wolf she would become as he imagined how she would feel surrounding him.

Somehow he drove that vision away and ran his hands up her arms, laced his fingers with hers to keep her human self with him.

She gripped his fingers tightly, but as her body relaxed, she softly said his name one last time.

She had lost the battle for the control she treasured so greatly.

This Tuesday Tip is a recipe for a very flexible, sweet and sassy salad!

Yes, you read that right — Salad. I know I’ve avowed my aversion to the stuff in various posts, but this is one salad recipe that I love and will actually eat without much complaint. For those of you in the New York area, you may have seen something similar in Cosi, one of the chain sandwich shops. Nordstrom’s also makes a similar salad in their store cafe.

Why is it so tasty? Well, it’s got the sweet thing going, but also, you can mix and match any of a number of ingredients to make it just the way you want it. So, I’ll give you some of the variations and let you decide how to personalize.

Sweet and Sassy Salad

2 to 3 cups of greens (you can use romaine, red leaf lettuce, mesclun greens, arugula, spinach. I like it best with the mesclun greens. Definitely avoid the iceberg lettuce route)

1/4 cup crumbled goat cheese (you can also substitute blue cheese which is my favorite yum)

1/2 of a Ripe pear cubed (a nice crisp apple will also work)(if you like it sweet, use the whole fruit!)

1/2 of a tomato, cubed

Handful of dried cranberries (or raisins or currants)

Handful of pecans, chopped (or walnuts)

Handful of chopped scallions (but not onions unless you’re doing a mild Vidalia or Maui onion)

Put all of the above in a bowl and toss with a low fat balsamic vinegarette or another mild salad dressing. You don’t want to use a strongly flavored salad dressing because that will interfere/clash with the more delicate flavors of the fruits and cheeses. This salad is so flavorful, you may want to try it with just a hint of vinegar sans oil or even a citrus vinegarette.

A tip for chopping the nuts without having them go flying all around the counter — stick them in a sandwich bag, put them on the chopping board and with the back of your knife, just give them a few whacks. I guess you’re actually crushing them, but the nuts will break into the pieces and then you just empty the bag onto your salad!

Voila! A sweet and sassy salad that has a combo of things that are sure to keep you satisfied for a while, namely, some proteins, fats and carbs. One big dieting mistake is to just have plain ol’ salad with dressing and while the volume of the salad will fill you up, without any proteins/fats/carbs to sustain your energy levels, you are just asking for a major energy crash that will make you have hunger pangs.

OMG! I hope you will find this morning’s Guilty Pleasure especially guilty and pleasurable!! David Beckham. Bad boy, badder bod as this Emporio Armani ad demonstrates.

Also, if you haven’t seen BEND IT LIKE BECKHAM (where unfortunately he does not appear in the movie), check it out anyway. It’s a great movie about cultural clashes, male/female roles and racial bias. . . and of course, soccer. Did I mention the movie also features hottie Jonathan Rhys Meyers (currently of THE TUDORS) and a girl crush possibility — Keira Knightley?

As I promised, I chose a winner over the weekend for the Lisa Daily guest blog and give-away! FANNIE is the lucky winner! Could you please e-mail me your postal address?

Hope you all had a great weekend!

P.S. — Thanks to my sis for the inspiration for today’s Guilty Pleasure.