Guest Blogger – Traci Hall, Waiting to React

We have a special visitor today — Traci Hall! She’s providing some insights on her latest novel and also, a copy of her book for anyone who leaves a comment on the blog today. So without further ado — here’s Traci!

This is an incredible site – lots going on – and congratulations to you on your newest contract! Isn’t a great feeling when it seems like the stars are finally aligning in your favor?

Thanks for having me on…my debut paranormal/medieval romance is officially ‘out’ June 8th! But if you find yourself completely unable to wait that long, Amazon is very fast, lol.

This waiting for the world to react to your baby thing is making me revert back to biting my fingernails. So far the reviews have been good – 9/10 from In The Library Reviews, and 10 out 10 from Romance Reviews Today, and a 4 out of 5 from RT. The heat level was marked as ‘mild’ – which worried me until I read that Jude Deveraux wrote mild too. Whew.

Love’s Magic is about Celestia Montehue, a misfit in a legacy bound family. The only thing she has in common with her ancestors is her magical healing ability. Nicholas Le Blanc, a monastery raised knight, is captured while on crusade and forced to kill for his freedom. This is their journey to see if the healer can save the broken man before his family’s curse dooms them both.

I love writing stories about two people who mix like oil and water, but straight romance is difficult for me because I need to have more going on. Mysteries, ghosts, curses – paranormal adds that element of ‘what if’ that layers in heightened tension – and creates lot of opportunities for conflict.

I am a horror movie junkie – the cheesier the better – I still jump, even though I can see the strings on the fake orange moon because the writers/directors have taken me beyond the OBVIOUS fakeness to the story, which is thrilling and scary and why I watch.

Hopefully I can draw you into Nicholas and Celestia’s story…1192 England, anybody?

Again, thank you so much for having me as a guest on your blog – you can come and visit me at http://www.traciwritersblock.blogspot.com/ – a new blog I’ve started with the intention of going over the details of a new writer’s journey. And of course, I would love to donate a book for give-away…

Happy June!

Traci

Thoughtful Thursday – The Office Fridge

Photo courtesy of microsoft office clip artThose of you who work outside the home understand the dreaded words “The Office Fridge”.

I went to get some milk for my coffee this morning and there were two hard-boiled unshelled eggs there in a small plastic container. At least, I think they were eggs. The only remaining white part was where the boiled egg white was in contact with the plastic lid, thereby confirming to me the message in those Foodsaver commercials that air does weird things to food.

The rest was of the eggs were a weird brown color and I think one of them may have winked at me!

Of course, I dared not look at the rest of the fridge nor breathe since it seems like it’s time for that bimonthly emptying and major scrub down that occurs to remove the food that has now seemingly turned into someone’s science experiment.

I always wonder if the poor cleaning person wears a Hazmat suit for that task.

Unfortunately, those who deal with Office Fridges know that the science experiment part is only the tip of the iceberg. There’s the Office Fridge Thief who steals people’s lunches or worse yet — just takes a bite and PUTS IT BACK!! I kid you not.

Considering that our Office Fridge is in a fairly visible and trafficked area, you wonder how the Office Fridge Thief manages it. You also wish that one day that person would take a bite out of one of those science experiments.

So, have you had similar experiences with your Office Fridge? Did your fridge at home provide an unexpected surprise one day? Share the uglies this morning with us!

On a parting note, check out the cool countdown widget I created for FURY CALLS, the next book in THE CALLING Vampire series which will be out in March 2009. You can click here to download the code for the widget and post it on your sites/Myspace pages! Send me a screen print of it once it’s on your site or a link to the site with the widget and I’ll send the first 50 people who do so a CALLING t-shirt!

Get this widget!

Wicked Wednesday – Guest Blogger Amie Stuart

I’ve got a very Wicked Wednesdary for you courtesy of my friend and fellow author, Amie Stuart. Amie’s latest release, NAILED, is now available from the Aphrodisia Erotic Romance line.

Leave a comment on the blog to win a special prize! Without further ado, here’s Amie!

First off, thanks so much to Caridad for inviting me to come and play on Wicked Wednesday!!!

NAILED was quite an adventure to write, in more ways than one. I came up with a ballsy woman on the run and a reluctant hero who just happened to be the black sheep of his family because he didn’t follow in his father’s footsteps and become…a hitman, added a psycho-cat, a few outrageous neighbors and mixed well.

One of my favorite types of sex scenes to write is Turning-Point Sex…that scene that comes just after your hero or heroine has learned their life is never going to be the same again, as is the case with my heroine Bonnie below. She’s just talked to her estranged sister, who thought she was dead and….well anything else would be spoilers!

(FYI: Clyde is the psycho-cat and Bonnie has a love/hate relationship with him that any cat lover can appreciate).

Late Night

As resident fix-it girl for an apartment complex in a tiny Texas town, Bonnie James makes enough money to pay the bills and have a little fun on the side. She likes checking out the other tenants and sometimes indulges in her own sexual fantasies by watching them late at night. It’s exciting, it’s erotic, and it always leaves her ready and willing for more…

Turn On

When you’re a bounty hunter, late night stake-outs are part of the job. So Wynn Collier should be concentrating on his own business, not watching a Peeping Tom with the sweetest body west of the Mississippi. But he’s a hot-blooded male on a hot Texas night and he can’t resist the chance to investigate every one of her delectable curves…

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Talking to Lisa had been harder than I expected and all I wanted was to get away from Wynn, to be alone, to feel a little normal again, even though deep down inside I knew my life hadn’t been normal for a very long time. After he dropped me off, I headed up to my own apartment and sank into the couch, forcing an unhappy Clyde on my lap.

He scowled up at me, blinking those ugly yellow eyes, then turned to lick his shoulder. Don’t ask me how I knew it was a scowl. I just knew.

Eventually he worked his way free, sprawled on the carpet and proceeded to clean his privates.

“Eww.” I lurched to my feet and stepped outside. Sleep would be a long time coming and a walk was in order. At least that might make me feel slightly normal.

Downstairs, Tara was splashing around in the pool with her latest hoochie-boy. They changed as often as she changed her nail color, which was often. “Hey Bonnie, wanna join us?”

I wandered over to the security fence and leaned against it. Her “friend” was cute. I had to give it to her, Tara had good taste in men. “What happened to What’s-His-Name?”

“I got a new What’s-His-Name!”

And apparently lost her bikini top again. With a shake of my head at the sight of her B-cups, I turned away, ready to go for my walk when Wynn appeared at the top of the stairs. I slowly circled the pool and met him at the bottom.

“If you want to be alone, just say so.”

“I’m good.” I considered kicking him for being so damned understanding. Instead, I stuffed my hands in my pockets and headed for the walkway between the apartments.

“So, who we watching tonight?”

I shushed him, then silently dragged him down the walkway to the parking lot. “Darcy’s husband is home,” I whispered.

“So that guy you were watching her with?”

“Brad, the town mechanic.”

“Has he ever changed your oil?”

“Jealous?” I laughed.

“No way.” He wrapped an arm around my shoulder and pulled me close. There was something comforting and familiar in it, something I hadn’t had in a long time.

“Will I ever have a normal life again?” I asked as we walked.

“Sure you will. Soon as this is all over, you can relocate someplace nice like Brazil—”

“Fuck you!” I said, shoving my elbow in his side. “I don’t speak Portuguese.”

“Ouch! I thought they spoke Spanish.”

“That’s what you get for thinking. It’s Portuguese, baby.”

“Who we peeping on tonight?”

“Nobody! Now keep your voice down.”

“Why do you spy on people?”

“Euh!” With a curl of my lips I looked him up and down. “Why are you a thug?”

“Kaylee and Tan had another fight.”

What?! Was he trying to tempt me with gossip or something? “I know. It’s a really small complex in case you didn’t notice.”

“You could slip him a note and tell him who she’s cheating with.”

“That’s mean. And Tan’s a nice guy, so no way—“ I shook a finger in his direction, “—and don’t you either! When’s your furniture going to get here?”

“Mom said tomorrow.”

“So your mom really did send you your stuff?”

“Some of it. Obviously, I’m not really planning on staying here any amount of time.”

“Aw now. Cielo’s not so bad when you get used to it.”

“Not exactly my idea of a good time either. I’ve got a house in Dallas already, but I’m not there much. Work keeps me on the road a lot. I promise not to trash the place but I guess I can kiss my deposit good-bye.” He grinned at me, his teeth gleaming in the moonlight.

My belly did a funny little flip-flop thing brought on from more than an overindulgence in ice cream. Let’s not get carried away though, Wynn was the closest thing I’d had to a real friend in three years, and he got paid to beat people up—or whatever. Not exactly Nobel Peace Prize material. But I was feeling, off-kilter to say the least.

Sue me for feeling vulnerable. I was tired mentally, physically, emotionally. After everything that had happened in the last twenty-four hours, after three years of living a lie.

At least with Wynn I knew where I stood. At least with Wynn there was no pretense. I turned to stand in front of him and let my hands glide up the length of his chest to circle his neck.

His head dipped ever so slightly, then he whispered, “This is a very bad idea.”

“I know.”

He gently pushed my hair away from my face, tucking it behind my ears. “You sure?”

A nod would just have to do. Thanks to the lump in my throat, I couldn’t speak. I buried my face in the softness of his shirt, inhaling the woodsy scent of his cologne, his warmth and maybe even a bit of his strength, and gave in.

He silently led me to his apartment, and slowly undressed me. It was the first time since losing all that weight I felt shy around a man, afraid to speak, out of my element. Afraid if I spoke, the reality of what we were doing would be too much.

We stretched out on the air mattress both of us laughing softly at the silliness of it, then we were touching each other, communicating silently. Kissing softly. Wynn’s tongue gently exploring my mouth, teasing me, warming me, his fingers between my thighs, gently stroking me . . .

LOL! Yes, I’m a tease for leaving you there, but be sure to visit Amie’s website at www.amiestuart.com to read some more of NAILED.

From my friend Beth W. – Help Save Moonlight

If you enjoy the show Moonlight, you should know that CBS has cancelled the show! Fans like me are totally bummed! BUT, there is a chance that another network could pick it up, particularly with fan support. So if you love this show as much as I do, please contact the TV networks listed below. To make it easy, I%u2019ve even written a letter, listed below%u2014it%u2019s available for your use. I%u2019d recommend changing it up a LITTLE bit so all the emails don%u2019t look exactly the same. And also add your real name, age, gender, city & state to the end because TV execs LOVE demographic info!!!

Now GO and E-MAIL!!!!!! Thanks!

CW
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected] CW’s Chief Operating Officer.

Here’s the link to the message board at the CW. People should register and make a post requesting that the CW pick up Moonlight.
http://lounge.cwtv.com/showthread.php?p … ost5159922

SCI FI CHANNEL
[email protected]

USA Network
http://www.usanetwork.com/feedback

Call the NBC switchboard at 212-664-4444, and ask to leave a message on the USA Network Viewer Hotline. Then call back and ask to leave a message on the Sci-Fi Channel Viewer Hotline.

HERE IS THE LETTER YOU HAVE MY PERMISSION TO USE:

I am writing to ask that you consider adding an excellent show, Moonlight, formerly of the CBS Friday night lineup, to your programming schedule. Here are several great reasons to do so:

1. Although it was scheduled for Fridays at 9 pm, a traditionally “dead” day/time slot, Moonlight has consistently won its demographic and helped CBS win Friday nights.

2. Moonlight retained its audience despite the writers’ strike hiatus, achieving almost identical ratings as soon as it returned to the air with new episodes.

3. Moonlight’s viewers have proved to be extremely loyal, so your network could count on these viewers to follow Moonlight directly to your station, which would make it one of your highest rated shows, immediately.

4. Moonlight offers something for everyone: drama, action, romance, horror/scifi, mystery, etc. This means that with a decent day/time slot and a little promotion, your audience for the show could grow substantially.

5. Moonlight’s fanbase has consistently helped add to the show’s publicity–winning the show a People’s choice award and putting Alex O’Loughlin’s face and body into TV Guide’s sexiest stars issue. Moonlight fans have also helped the show get heaps of online promotion.

6. Moonlight’s cast is totally hot, giving the show serious sex appeal for the younger audience. If the show were to have a better time slot instead of being on Friday nights, when young people are traditionally out on the town, this audience could grow.

7. The show’s lead actor, Alex O’Loughlin is talented, handsome and hunky. He is truly a rising star and women love him! Some of the supporting actors are pretty easy on the eye, too. The hunk factor alone could convince additional viewers to tune in, even if they wouldn’t ordinarily choose the vampire genre.

8. The show has already been developed, cast, promoted, etc. It’s yours for the taking. (or the negotiating.)

I could go on forever, but I think that’s enough of an argument for now.

Please pick up this truly exceptional and engaging program. You will win our loyal fandom forever!

Thanks for the info, Beth! Good luck with saving the program.

Thoughtful Thursday – Cliffhangers, Character Assassinations and Continuity

Photo Courtesy of Microsoft Clip ArtAs you may have realized by now, I am a TV junkie and so today’s Thoughtful Thursday is about some happenings in my favorite shows and the cliffhangers and character assassinations that effect the continuity of those shows.

For starters —

STOP IF YOU WATCH NCIS, BONES OR CRIMINAL MINDS and haven’t seen the season finales. THERE WILL BE SPOILERS in this post!!

Okay, you’ve been warned . . .

I’m watching the two part NCIS and never saw it coming. A good thing I guess, except . . . Did we ever have a clue before the show the other night that Jenny Shepard was dying from some kind of wasting disease? Did I sleep through that (my family will likely say YES!) Truly character assassination and I will miss Lauren Holly because romantic optimist that I am, I kept on hoping her and Gibbs would reunite.

But if that wasn’t enough (especially after they killed off the other female agent a few years back just when it was getting good with DiNozzo), they end the show by transferring out all of the major characters. HUH?? They pulled a HOUSE?

I didn’t much care for it in HOUSE when we lost most of the regular cast that we had grown to know. I’m not sure how NCIS will start off the next season, but it would sure be damned disappointing if we didn’t have Ziva, Dinozzo and McGee back as regulars because without them, the show is losing continuity much like HOUSE lost continuity. To be honest, HOUSE used to be a do not miss and now, I have a backload of DVR’d episodes to watch since I lost interest with some of these new characters.

In CRIMINAL MINDS, the show ends with each of the characters getting into the similar black Suburban SUVs and then fade to a shot of one of them blowing up! So who is dead? Who knows? Will it be the newly pregnant and about to be happy one, the dour one, the quirky one . . . You get it (Sorry, but I tend to forget their names on this show. Maybe not a good thing).

I wonder why the writers feel they need to do these shake-ups? Do they assume the fans don’t want continuity? Do they think the show needs some new blood?

One of the things I admired most about Buffy was how in general, the characters grew with each show and season. We learned more and more about their strengths and weaknesses. What led them to where they are and how they will take that knowledge and move forward with it — in their careers and their lives.

With new characters we don’t get that. We lose all continuity and all the time we’ve invested in these characters (not much different from books and series in print).

BONES at least has seemed to strike a better note with its season finale. We lost a favorite and yet that loss will certainly prompt the other characters to reconsider not only what they knew about him, but about themselves. Already Hodgins is questioning how his actions may have led a friend astray. Bones is wondering what she gave Zak and maybe will wonder how much she gives of herself to others (I hope). The relationship with Bones and Seeley has certainly progressed, making all of us romantic optimists salivate at what will come next season.

Now that’s what I call a good cliffhanger!

Women, Words and Wisdom Blog Tour!
Don’t forget to join me tomorrow, May 23, for my contribution to the Women, Words and Wisdom blog and the related contest.

Leave a message on tomorrow’s blog to win a prize of a complete collection of the SOUTH BEACH CHICAS books as well as a HOLIDAY WITH A VAMPIRE color t-shirt! Here’s the line up for the tour and I hope you enjoy hearing words of wisdom from these amazing women.

And don’t forget to check out all the other stops on the tour for their stories and prizes!

May 19 – Mary Castillo (http://www.marycastillo.blogspot.com/)
May 20 – Barbara Ferrer (http://www.fashionista-35.livejournal.com/)
May 21 – Lara Rios (http://www.lararios.blogspot.com/)
May 22 – Mayra Calvani (http://www.thedarkphantom.wordpress.com)
May 23 – Caridad Pineiro (https://www.caridad.com/blog)
May 24 – Jamie Martinez (http://www.jamiemartinezwood.blogspot.com/)
May 25 – Berta Platas (http://www.bertaplatas.blogspot.com/)
May 26 – Tracy Montoya (www.tracymontoya.blogspot.com)
May 27 – Kathy Cano-Murillo (http://thecraftychica.blogspot.com)
May 28 – Misa Ramirez (http://chasingheroes.com)

Lower Fat Chicken Parmigiana

Photo Courtesy of Microsoft Online Clip ArtThere are some tried and true Italian dishes that satisfy no matter what and you can find at every typical Italian restaurant (like Luigi’s from THE CALLING vampire novels).

Chicken parmigiana is one of those dishes, but when you’re trying to eat healthy, this kind of dish can be a problem. It’s breaded and fried. There’s the cheese with its animal fats and you generally serve it over/next to pasta, a problem if you’re watching carbs.

So what can you do to enjoy this dish? Well, here’s some alternatives that will help you make a tasty chicken parmigiana that even your most difficult critic (like my Italian hubby) will enjoy! Try one or all of the alternatives.

Lower Fat Chicken Parmigiana

Step One: “Breading” the cutlets. This accounts for the step where you can lose the most calories!

  • First Alternative: Most Chicken Parmigiana is breaded and fried. If you don’t want to lose the breading, lose some of the fat by using either an egg white wash or just plain water to get the bread crumbs to adhere to the chicken breast. Lose the dredging the chicken in flour as well. Some will say it helps the bread crumbs stick better. I’ve always found that it just makes the bread crumbs fall off faster and adds extra carbs you don’t need. As for the frying part of this, try baking the chicken! Use a cooking oil spray and lightly grease a baking dish. Place the breaded chicken breasts in there and give the tops of the breasts a spritz with the cooking oil spray. Bake at 350 for about 20 minutes or so (or until the bread crumbs begin to brown).
  • Second Alternative: Again use an egg white wash or water, but this time, dredge the chicken breasts with a good freshly-grated parmesan cheese. In a frying pan spritzed with cooking oil spray, toast both sides of the chicken breasts. The cheese will create a coating on the chicken breasts.
  • Third Alternative: Lose the “breading” entirely to cut out the fat and carbs. Just brown the chicken breasts in a frying pan spritzed with cooking oil spray.
  • Step Two: Using either your own sauce or a bottled spaghetti sauce, spread a thin layer of sauce in a baking dish. Place the “breaded” chicken breasts on the sauce.

    Step Three: Place some sauce on the chicken and then a slice or two of a low-fat or fat-free mozzarella cheese on the chicken. For variety, you can also add a slice of prosciutto, grilled eggplant or zucchini or roasted red pepper on top of the chicken before you add the mozzarella. The addition of the lower fat vegetables really helps to make this a complete meal.

    Step Four: A little bit more sauce on top of the cheese/chicken (but not enough to hide all the cheese since you want it to get nice and toasty in the oven) and a fresh grate of some parmesan! Cook the dish at 350 for at least 30 minutes or so, until the sauce is bubbly and the cheese has browned a bit. You may want to even broil it for a few minutes to toast the cheese, but make sure you have a pan that can be used to broil.

    Last but not least, serve with a whole grain pasta or Barilla’s Plus pasta that has lower carbs.

    Hope you like this variation on an Italian Classic!

    Women, Words and Wisdom Blog Tour and a Contest!

    Women, Words and Wisdom Blog Tour!Today you are getting a double dose of blog, since besides the Guilty Pleasures that will shortly follow, I’m spreading the good news about a totally awesome Women, Words and Wisdom Blog Tour as well as a contest!

    Visit my with my friends and fellow authors at their blog sites and come and visit with me on May 23rd! Anyone who leaves a comment on this blog on May 23rd will win a complete collection of the SOUTH BEACH CHICAS books as well as a HOLIDAY WITH A VAMPIRE color t-shirt! Here’s the line up for the tour and I hope you enjoy hearing words of wisdom from these amazing women.

    May 19 – Mary Castillo (http://www.marycastillo.blogspot.com/)
    May 20 – Barbara Ferrer (http://www.fashionista-35.livejournal.com/)
    May 21 – Lara Rios (http://www.lararios.blogspot.com/)
    May 22 – Mayra Calvani (http://www.thedarkphantom.wordpress.com)
    May 23 – Caridad Pineiro (https://www.caridad.com/blog)
    May 24 – Jamie Martinez (http://www.jamiemartinezwood.blogspot.com/)
    May 25 – Berta Platas (http://www.bertaplatas.blogspot.com/)
    May 26 – Tracy Montoya (www.tracymontoya.blogspot.com)
    May 27 – Kathy Cano-Murillo (http://thecraftychica.blogspot.com)
    May 28 – Misa Ramirez (http://chasingheroes.com)