school supplies...really?

Once upon a time mom took us shopping for back to school stuff. We got the basics. Pencils, paper, brown lunch bags, shoes and a few new jeans. Those days are over. Now the kids have a list of MUST HAVES that include things like book covers, thumb drives, calculators, and lots LOTS more.

First, let's talk about book covers. That's really a must have?? We went to two stores yesterday and couldn't locate a single book cover. The one store didn't carry them at all, the other was sold out. Lucky for us the girls both had their old ones from last year (in the pile of junk under their beds, of course). The thing is, they were both told that they'd get points taken off if they didn't have the covers. Um, that pisses me off. They're going to punish the kids because the stores didn't carry the damn book covers? Second, they might be cheap, but once you add them to the other million things they NEED, the bill for buying back to school supplies is just ridiculous. I have two kids so back to school, while annoying, IS managable. I can't imagine families w/ 4 or more kids to buy for!

By the time we had the cart filled, everything on their list checked off, I just shook my head as I remembered my own high school days. Things are so different now!

However, it's not as if it's a shock that times have changed. I HAVE seen the differences over the past few years. Kids have classes now like info tech where they learn how to use various software on the computer--this is one of the good changes! They are assigned reports in which they have to use power point--another good change. Prepares them for the future. But even gym class has changed. They have written tests in gym now, did you know that? Hell, it used to be the fun period! You played ball or learned to square dance. My youngest used to love gym...until she got into junior high and the fun was sucked right out of it. Now she hates it. They've turned the ONE active, healthy class into just another thing to dread.

Am I the only one who misses the days of sack lunches??

_____________________

REGINA'S CONTEST WINNERS!!!!!!

Cathy M. and Laura. Congrats on winning!!! You need to contact Regina at reginacarlysle @ yahoo.com (NO SPACES!)

Also, Regina wanted to thank EVERYONE for playing!!

Ringo is HERE...Release Day Contest

Ringo's Ride is book three of my High Plains Shifters series and it's finally HERE. It's available at Ellora's Cave today. http://www.jasminejade.com/

This, I have to say, was definitely a book of my heart and I hope ya'll fall a little in love with this lonely man as much as I did while writing him. In books one and two (Highland Beast and Lone Star Lycan) I mentioned the surly Ringo Ramone several times, weaving him in and back out again, and I knew I wanted to write his story so much I could practically taste it.

This is the first series I've ever done and I can't tell you how much I love writing them. I guess it's this way for everyone who does a continuing thing. I'll get an idea that doesn't necessarily WORK in one story and simply file it away and add to another one. There's a certain amount of freedom in that. Building this world and filling this town with powerful lycans is thrilling. Yes, these are tough people living on the desolate west Texas plains but they have a human side that gives me a chance to also show their frailty along with all that inborn strength.

Isn't that what is found in all of us? Strength mixing with frailty? I find the concept fascinating. In honor of the day, I'm having a little contest. Ya'll know I don't do hard ones. :-) Just leave me a comment and you can win a CHOICE of my titles. I'll simple draw a name from the comments and enter you in a drawing. Please check out my titles at http://www.reginacarlysle.com/ and do some shopping and deciding.

Buy Ringo's Ride Here!


Here is a blurb and excerpt of the story. Hope you like it!

Blurb:
Book 3 in the High Plains Shifters series but can be read as a stand-alone story.

Rayne dreamed of the day Ringo would claim her as his mate, changing her into the lycan she is meant to be. One touch from his hands burns her with a flame hot enough to scorch the Texas plains. But the moody lycan has made it clear he doesn’t want her. That’s just too damn bad! The sexy Latino lycan belongs to her and she aims to claim him, no matter what it takes.

Ringo hides the pain of his tortured past behind a menacing sneer. Learning that Rayne is meant to be his mate is unwelcome news. She deserves better than to be saddled with a man with his checkered past. It isn’t until she is taken from him that he knows she is the only woman who can heal his battered soul.

Excerpt:

Ringo Ramone raced through the hot Texas night as if someone had lit a fire under his ass. He dodged rocks and prickly cactus, ignoring the heat that singed the pads of his paws, too furious to notice. Rage beat at him until he practically shook with it. He sniffed the ground in an effort to pick up the trail of the rogue lycans who’d stolen his mate.
His mate!
Fuck!
He’d always suspected Rayne Poteet might be the one but he hadn’t wanted that. For years he’d watched her from a distance, drawn to her sweetness, her beauty. He’d slunk around in the shadows, fighting off the feelings that twisted tightly in his chest every time she so much as spoke to him. He wasn’t an emotional man and didn’t plan on changing for any she-wolf, not even Rayne. Besides, she was too good for the likes of him. He was a motherless son of a rat-bastard traitor and that’s all he’d ever be.
The huge black wolf stopped and panted. How much ground had he covered since leaving the ranch house to hunt down the men who’d taken her? Tonight they’d had a barbecue for the town of Cloverfield. It had been a happy time and, Lord knew, he’d seen too few of those in his many years. His alpha Joe McKinnon, and Quinn, the daughter of their former alpha, were celebrating their Consummation Ceremony when it all went down. Like a bunch of raving idiots, the males of the pack had been lured by rogue lycans to the south pasture while others had circled back to the ranch to steal away their unmated females.
Rayne!
She was his predestined mate. He hadn’t known it until tonight and then, in one instant of stupidity, she’d been taken before he’d had time to absorb it all. Spotting a grove of mesquite in the distance, he loped over, shifting as he ran. Naked, dripping with sweat, he leaned against the rough bark and closed his eyes. Ringo couldn’t help it. The look on her face tonight as the knowledge of their empathic connection, the proof they were a meant to be a mated pair, had gone through him like a blast from a flamethrower. Her pretty, sherry-colored eyes had gone wide as energy sizzled between them.
His cock thickened as he remembered.
Damn his horny ass!
This wasn’t the time.
Shifting back into his wolf, he took off again, scenting the air. Off in the distance, he spotted an old line shack at the edge of the ranch property. If worse came to worst, he could bring her to it. It was kept fully stocked with provisions.
Ringo continued on, running endlessly across the empty stretch of prairie. Suddenly, he spotted it. A low campfire was flickering in the predawn darkness, shooting up occasional sparks. Laughter. Male laughter. His heightened senses picked up the sound of Rayne’s breathing. It was accelerated.
A truck was parked at the very edge of the meager light and two naked men sat on the ground several yards from where Rayne lay, trussed up like a Christmas turkey. Her clothes were a mess and there were scratches on her legs. Her copper-colored hair was spread across the dusty ground like a pool of sunshine and he got a glimpse of her bare white belly and the tiny red panties she wore.
“What are we gonna do with her? Zavalos must be dead. He hasn’t shown up like he was supposed to.”
The other lycan stood and, planting his fists on his hips, stared across the fire at Rayne. Ringo lowered his body closer to the ground and moved slowly toward them, listening.
“Something went wrong. I feel it,” he said. “Let’s load her into the truck and head south. We can’t wait out here anymore. It’ll be morning soon.”
“Please. Let me go,” Rayne said.
Ringo’s heart thumped then sped in his chest at the sound of her voice. Just hearing it threatened to send him to his knees.
“Can’t do that, Red.” This from the man who was crouched before the fire. “Our pack is short on unmated females and you’ll have to come with us.”
“But I-I am,” she stammered. “I have a mate.”
The lycan who stood stalked toward her and, grabbing her shoulders, jerked her upright and slapped her. The crack of it shredded the quiet.
Red rage clouded Ringo’s mind. His fur bristled. They would die this night for trespassing on what was his. His snarl of outrage made his prey go still. With death and destruction on his mind, he leaped.
* * * * *
The first lycan had thrown her over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes and run with her into the night to where a truck waited. A second man had bound her hands and feet with duct tape and covered her mouth with it too. Callously they’d tossed her into the bed of the truck and driven off. She heard the cries of the McCafferty sisters and wanted to scream her outrage. They were just girls really, no older than seventeen. No doubt they were being handled in the same sickening manner. A second truck, carrying the girls, went in another direction.
Oh gods!
There was no way in hell she could help them.
Terrified, shaken beyond anything in her experience, she’d lain there as tears leaked from her eyes. All she could see was the smattering of stars overhead. All she could hear was the sound of the truck engine and the wind as it whistled by. Closing her eyes, she prayed for Ringo.
Yes, she was lycan but not yet fully in working order, so to speak. She’d yet to shift and only tonight had it been revealed that Ringo, the lanky, dark wolf with the blacker–than-sin eyes was hers.
Hers.
Finally. After all these years of hoping and praying that he was the one who would have an unbreakable psychic connection with her, the wish had come true. He would come for her. She knew it.
They’d barely touched tonight at the barbecue at the Wolf Creek Ranch. Big Joe McKinnon, the pack’s new alpha had taken Quinn, his newly consummated mate by the hand. Joy propelled Rayne to her feet as she took a step through the crowd and toward the bandstand where the couple had gone to make an announcement. Suddenly, she brushed against six foot four inches of steely-hard muscle. She smelled the familiar scent of clean, masculine cologne and stared into the black eyes that featured prominently in most of her dreams.
“Ringo,” she gasped as his hands reached out to steady her.
“Steady there, darlin’.”
He sucked in a breath and so did she. Their eyes connected and held.
Around her the world narrowed dramatically as a low buzz of energy zipped through her system. Instantly her panties were drenched and a ball of lust tightened low in her belly. Her first thought was to press her thighs together to soothe the harsh ache in her pussy. “Wha—”
“Fuck. No. This can’t be happening,” Ringo murmured huskily. He released her as if burned and shoved his fingers through his thick, black hair. His nostrils flared. His breath whipped in and out of his lungs as if he he’d run a race.
Rayne could do nothing but stare. Ringo’s eyes narrowed on her seconds before he grabbed her arm and ushered her toward the kitchen door of the house. His grip was strong but she didn’t mind. Even a simple touch from him set her on fire. In the distance she heard shouts of “Happy consummation” from the lycan population of Cloverfield, Texas. But then she heard nothing because Ringo led her through the door, pressed her against the wall and took her mouth with a hunger she’d never experienced before. Those lips, that to others might seem cruel, softened over hers and then he nipped her bottom lip. “This can’t be happening. It can’t be you.”
He regretted her. He didn’t want her.

Regina has a new PRINT!!

Aged to Perfection

By: Alice Gaines, Katie Blu, KyAnn Waters, Regina Carlysle, Samantha Kane

BUY HERE

A Lady in Waiting by Samantha Kane

Sylvie, Marchioness of Bartlebyrne, has been a widow for much of her adult life. Her grown son is away at school, leaving Sylvie in charge of the family estate, The Byrne. She offers the vacant living in the village to the son of one of her late husband's friends. The new vicar, Mr. Edmund James, is twenty-six, handsome and, his family hopes, a reformed rake. Sylvie falls under the young man's spell at first sight, but is ashamed by her desires — she's so much older than him, how can she be having all these naughty thoughts about what she wants him to do to her, and where, and how often!

Edmund James' family gave him a choice — be ordained and take the living in Byrnham or be cut off and transported for failure to pay his debts. The one thing that makes his new life worth living is Sylvie. He seduces his way into her bed, but can he overcome her worries about their age difference and win her heart?



Impulsive Pleasures by KyAnn Waters

Jamie's daughter is getting married and now Jamie has to endure a weekend with her ex-husband and his new wife, the home-wrecking trollop. Jamie can be nice…yeah right. The asshole doesn't deserve nice. However, Jamie's bitterness just might be sweetened when young and sexy best man Mark Bentley arrives for the rehearsal dinner. Oh Yum! He might prove to be just the distraction Jamie needs. And if the ex has a problem with it…good.

Only Mark isn't interested in a little flirtation with the mother of the bride. He'd like the cougar to scratch her nails down his back. Will she invite him into her bed…or will he have to fuck her on the floor?

Publisher Note: Previously published elsewhere as The Cougar and the Best Man.



Surprised by Desire by Katie Blu

Jenna Michaels is back in town at her mother's bidding, trying to make it through another family vacation with the Nolans like they used to have. The neighbors are long-time friends and now that David Nolan is divorced, her mother and his are trying to make a match. But it isn't David who heats her blood, it's his son Jason, and passion catches her completely off guard. Little does she realize, one of the Nolan men has had Jenna in his sights for a long time…and he's ready to play.



Tempting Tess by Regina Carlysle

When forty-five-year-old widow Tess Garrity decides it's time to reevaluate her stale life, she rents a charming cabin in the mountains, little expecting her entire life is about to take a drastic turn. She's very drawn and more than a little sexually turned on by the sinfully handsome man next door.

Daniel Rios is captivated by the stunning older woman. She is sweet, funny and sexy enough to make him yearn to fuck her. He wants her more than his next breath but his first order of business is getting rid of an unwanted houseguest. Then Daniel moves in on Tess, tempting her to take another chance on love — with him. It's a naughty, edgy, seductive challenge he is fully prepared to take.



Dr. Feelgood by Alice Gaines

Five years ago Rick Wilson was a graduate student participating in Dr. Sarah Dalton's experiments on the male sexual response — as a subject. Now he's back with his own Ph.D. and a deep understanding of the female orgasm.

The heat between them still simmers just below the surface and Rick is determined to have her. But he soon discovers Sarah has sexual hang-ups of her own. Luckily, curing them is the well-known "Dr. Feelgood's" area of expertise.

Is it just me or does this sound like a yummy anthology??!!

Guest: Vonna Harper

Please welcome our wonderful guest, Vonna Harper!

Vonna Harper's Wind Howl

Previous Books: Storm Howl and Devil Man

Genre: Shape-shifter Paranormal

Length: Novella

Carlan Nashel is a sensible, responsible, intelligent woman. She doesn't believe in spirits or paranormal wolves. She doesn't! So why can't she shake the feeling that her brother's spirit is watching over her, and that he wants something more than for her to take care of their aging parents?

She returns to her childhood home to make arrangements for her family, and visit the Gorge where her brother died to say her last goodbyes. But a storm drives her into the trailer and the arms of the man who took her virginity in high school. A man who, like her brother, was irrevocably shattered by these mountains.

Storms rage, inside and out, but Carlan and Brett will have to accept more than each other again; they'll have to accept the wolf spirits, including Carlan's brother, to survive the howling and learn to love.

Publisher's Note: This book contains explicit sexual content, graphic language, and situations that some readers may find objectionable: Domination/submission (mild).

To read an excerpt of Wind Howl, click here.
________________________________

HIDING BEHIND THE PAGES

I'm living a lie. There, I've said it. The real me isn't Vonna Harper intrepid erotica writer. http://www.vonnaharper.com/ is a figment of my imagination as are my stories.

To the reading public (is that you?) I'm the brave creator of hot, hot stories, most of them steeped in bondage and/or capture because that's my private fantasy. (not reality, really) Story by story I've gone from, "Oh my god, I can't believe I'm writing this," to "How can I kick up the heat level even more?" Vonna is a balsy broad. Her name is plastered on covers depecting naked bodies doing what naked bodies most like to do. And inside those covers are tales about shape shifters, fantasy worlds, sex slaves, hostages, undercover agents, cowboys, wolves, cougars, the undead, etc, etc. Give Vonna a blank screen and the niggling of a plot and she goes crazy.

Sometimes (okay, a lot of the time) she shocks the other half of her split personality, the everyday broad who is writing this. The 'real' broad is beyond boring and lives a beyond boring, real life. No one would read about this bill paying, house cleaning, parent parenting, wife, mother, dog owning, garden tending--okay, you've got the picture. Real broad chats with her unsuspecting neighbors and keeps her head down at the local bookstores. Neighbors and bookstore employees don't know she's also Vonna because that's her comfort zone.

I have a number of erotica writer friends (Kate Douglas stands out) who proudly share all, but that's not me. I'm a lot more comfortable with a layer of privacy between me and what I write. Back when I was writing category romance and mainstream historicals I didn't feel that way, but I'm the product of a conservative upbringing and have always lived a conservative life.

Surely that's why Vonna has so damn much fun! And why I'd never think of bumping her off. Long live that balsy creator of over the edge sexy stories! I do envy her almost as much as she shocks me.

A question as I fade off into the woodwork, as a reader do you concern yourself with a writer's identity or is it all about the story?
Vonna

Titanic=HEA? Not in my book!

I was having a group discussion the other day with a bunch of readers and writers. We ended up on the subject of happily ever after and what all our idea of an HEA is. Now I will be the first to admit, I am a traditional HEA kind of girl. I want to know the couple is together at the end. That they're in love and will...well live happily ever after. I mean, we get enough real life in real life. I don't need it in my books too. Like many, part of the reason I read is escapism. I don't mind a little angst and pain along the way, but in the end, I want it tied up in a nice pretty bow for me.

One of the women I was chatting with said she DOES consider "Titanic" a HEA in a way. In her book, better to have loved and lost...is a form of HEA. I will be one to admit I loved Titanic. Cried my eyes out but loved the movie. Did Rose ever regret meeting and loving Jack? Nope. Was her life better off because of him? Yep. Did she take his love with her throughout her life? You bettcha. Was it a HEA? Not in my book. I get what she is saying in a way, but...no. LOL. I want a way for the couple to be together. I don't want all they fight for to be for nothing. It just seems wrong to me and honestly, leaves me feeling cold inside when I'm done reading. I get very emotionally invested in the story I'm reading if its a really good book and it would honestly leave me depressed if in the end, they couldn't be together.

Do you need a HEA? What do you see as a HEA? Titanic? The Notebook?

Tempting Grace is almost here!

So, tomorrow the 4th story in my Vaughn series releases and I'm really excited. Jackson turned out to be one of my favorite heroes. He's so ornery and it's just so sexy!

This is the closest I could get to what Jackson looks like. The only difference is that Jackson is a bit more rugged, I think. He's ex-military and very sure of himself...at least he was until Grace Vaughn shows up in his life. She turns him inside out. (She IS a Vaughn after all, lol) And being the glutton that he is he can't get enough of her smartass attitude. She's his match in every way. I loved watching the sparks fly as I wrote their story!

BLURB:

A hard man is good to find…and impossible to resist.

The Vaughn Series, Book 4

Since a car accident left her unable to have children, Grace Vaughn has hidden her heart behind a wall. So far it’s held strong, and no one complains much—except the few men she dates.

Now that fortress is crumbling thanks to Jackson Hill, an annoyingly attractive man who makes her imagination go wild just watching him in the office. He’s practically bullied her into attending a Vegas conference with him. Three days alone with the delicious Jackson—in Sin City, no less—is sure to push her right over the edge.

With a loving family, a decent bank account, a nice set of clubs, Jackson’s life is almost complete. Except for the missing piece. Grace. She sets a fire in his blood, and the conference is the perfect crowbar to get past her defense mechanisms. It’s time to see if the bump-and-grind potential in that booty of hers can be channeled into something a little more satisfying than looking.

He’s got just the tactic to get her to let down her guard—and hopefully her panties. A wicked bet. Because if there’s one thing he knows about Grace, she can’t resist a double-dog-dare…

Warning: This title contains graphic sex, rope bondage, anal sex, and a deliciously inventive hero who just happens to be really good with knots and doling out spankings.

Read An Excerpt Online

Tomorrow-->> BUY HERE

The truth is, I rarely attempt to find pictures to match my heroes. They just never quite seem to fit, ya know? I prefer to form an image in my head and leave at that. Still, it got me curious. Do you, the reader, like to see images of the characters you're reading? Does it help you or does it bother you? Authors, do you pick out images before you even write the book? Or do you look for the pictures later on?

Why the Outrage?

A few days ago this picture of Michelle Obama was all over the internet and in all of the newspapers. It is the scene of she and her family leaving the plane after a summer vacation to the Grand Canyon. This pic in itself isn't surprising but what got me were the stories. Seems everyone was outraged that our First Lady dared to wear shorts in public.

Really?

One commenter even said something about her "Daisy Dukes"...ummm...since WHEN are mid-thigh length walking shorts even CLOSE to being risque? Okay, I don't care about the political affiliations or grievances of others but, damn people, get a life. We have wars on two fronts, an economy in peril, and I could name any of a dozen different things to bitch about but what the First Lady wears on her family vacation is none of my business. In one of the stories, someone said the First Lady is expected to present herself in a certain way and why didn't she look more like Jackie Kennedy, Laura Bush or Pat Nixon. Lordy! I just had to shake my head over that one.

Personally, I am proud of the way Michelle Obama presents herself and I see nothing about this woman that should embarrass any of us. She is the epitome of the modern woman...educated, savvy and one who juggles marriage and family with style and grace. So back off people! Honestly, I can't think of a single woman out there who would wear hose, heels, and a dress to visit the Grand Canyon in August. Don't we have other things, more important things, to stress over?

putting things into perspective

Tuesday night I got a call that put things into perspective for me. My dad's in the hospital. He's suffered two mini strokes. The artery on the left side of his neck is majorly blocked. He'll need surgery, we're just not sure how soon because his brain needs to heal a bit before they can chance it. Top that with some heart irregularities and you have quite the problem.

Luckily, he's in a good hospital, the nurses have been wonderful and the surgeon consulting w/ him has been on the ball.

All this has had me pausing and looking at my life. So many times we stress about the little things. Worry over a bad review, a few extra inches around the middle, a bad hair day. When something like this happens everything just slides away and all that really matters is spending time with the people you love. The laundry piling up, the errands that need to be taken care, none of it matters. It's all just stuff.

Yesterday, when I was at the hospital watching my once very strong father lay in that bed completely at the mercy of the nurses and doctors, it made me realize that I don't spend enough time with family. It was a wake-up call for me. The first thing that popped into my head was, 'I'm not ready for them to be old'. I know it sounds selfish, but I just sort of figured they'd always be around. Our parents are our rock. We lean on them, no matter how old we get. They're always there to make us feel better, always there to offer a shoulder or a hug. We take that for granted. At least I did.

Anyway, if you have a second, please send my dad some healing thoughts. It's been stressful for all of us and we just want dad better. We want to see him in his easy chair, drinking his coffee, and bitching about the government. In other words, back to normal.

Thanks!

I love this feeling!

I love how I feel when I finish a book. It's the most amazing feeling of accomplishment. Those months of hard work. The hours spent at the computer pouring your heart into a book and in the end, I have a beautiful, freshly typed novel to show for it.

I don't think people who don't write realize how much goes into writing a book. My mom is staying with us right now and she's admitted her shock at all the work I do besides just writing. I did three sets of edits on this book, my self edit and then my beta read it over twice for me. In between those edits I wrote my synopsis and query which also when through an editing process of it's own. I griped and grumbled as I went over the MS time and time again but when I reached 'The End' for the umpteenth time, I had a smile on my face that nothing could have taken away. I can't even explain the high I get when I have a completely finished project in front of me. This one was extra special because it was not only my first YA, but it was also my first paranormal. I was so scared to put myself out there trying something so new to me but you know what, I did it and I couldn't be happier. So now I'm going to read a book, and poor myself a glass of wine to celebrate before I fall headfirst into the next one, LOL.

What do you like to do to celebrate?

Empty Nester

It's official. Today I'm an empty-nester.

Since my daughter started her senior year last fall, we've talked colleges, applications, SATs and ACTs until we were blue in the face. She finally settled on Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas. Since she was just a little girl, she has talked about going there so this really came as no great surprise to us. Not only does she like the school but it's close to home. Have I mentioned my daughter is a homebody? She has always been a quiet girl, kind of reserved. More of a listener than a talker and she is seriously addicted to her family.

When she graduated early (last December) she took some classes at the local college, just to get her feet wet but now the real adventure begins. I'm thrilled for her and can't wait to hear about what she's doing and who she is meeting in this brand new world.

As for me, I will cry a lot but not until after we've pulled from the parking lot and are headed home. So while I adjust to rattling around in this big house with just the two of us (just like we began), I will depend on the broad shoulders of my friends. So hang in there with me for just a little while. I promise I'll recover. And when it's your turn to face being an empty-nester, I'll be there for you, too.

Sniff Sniff.

If you could do it over?

Last night, I answered interview questions for someone who is hosting me on her blog. They were pretty standard, for the most part. What is your writing day like? Are you a plotter or a pantser? That sort of thing. She asked one question though that really had me thinking.

If you could choose any other profession or job, what would you choose? No one has asked me anything like that in awhile. I've been a full time stay at home person for a long time now. I've taken care of the house, raised the kids, planned the meals, yada yada, and, working around those chores, I write. Best of all possible worlds, I tend to think.

But if I could do something, or HAD to do something other than what I do now, I would move to the mountains, where the air is crisp and cool and open a little country bookstore. I'd have something quaint that smelled like hot chocolate and freshly brewed coffee. My ideal store would have hardwood floors with beautiful rugs on it and I'd have a fireplace with comfy, plush chairs arranged in front of it. I would talk books with the customers and friends and hopefully host writers groups. That's exactly what I would do if I had to choose. Yes, hopefully, I would write but if I COULDN'T, this would be my dream.

What about you? If you could move anywhere, do anything, live in any other place...what would it be?

In other news: ANNE'S CONTEST WINNER! DANI...you WON, girlfriend. Write Anne a note at anne@annerainey.com to collect your prize. YAY!

hair color on your hero--and a contest!

So, I've been reading Lora Leigh's Wizard Twins. They're older books, I know, but there are several of her older Ellora's Cave books that I don't have yet. Working my way through her backlist has been such fun. I'm going to hate when I'm caught up and will have to wait for each new release! LOL

Anyway, in "When Wizards Rule" the twins have blond hair. I'm finding as I read that I'm changing their hair to dark in my mind. LOL It got me curious if others do that as well. I don't know what it is, I just like dark hair on my heroes. In real life it doesn't matter. In fact, my husband has closely cropped gray hair and I love it. I can't imagine him with dark hair now. It'd seem too strange. Still, when I read, those sexy alpha males have jet black hair. Usually a little messy, not too long, just about collar length. It matters little what the author actually wrote, I just make up my own hair color as I read. LOL

Am I the only one who does this? Does it matter what color hair the hero has or do you just go with the flow? How big a deal is it to you, the reader? And what about red hair? Have you ever read a sexy hero with red hair? I really don't think I have. Why is that? And as for my own writing. I can't really recall ALL of my heroes at the moment, but they don't all have dark hair. In fact, in the WIP I recently finished the hero is bald.

Today only I'm running a contest. Why? Just because I felt like it. *grin* Answer the question below in the comments section and you're entered to win an ebook. The winner will get to choose from my list of current releases, which you can see here. The winner will be announced tomorrow right here!

Does it matter to you what color hair your heroes have?

I swear, after today, I'm done!

For weeks I've been talking your ear off about my oldest going to Kindergarten. I KNOW you're probably all tired of hearing about it so I promise, today will be the last day I blab about it. LOL. Monday was finally the big day. She woke up early, super excited. By the time we got there, her nerves were setting in but luckily, she was still very excited as well. We took a couple pictures of her before we left (no idea if these came up in order on here, lol). Her baby sister jumped in for a picture with her as well.






When we got there we took a few more pictures. She met a friend before school even started which was really cool. She was her parents oldest as well so while the girls chatted we sat there blubbering about how we couldn't believe our little girls were already in Kindergarten. When it came time for the teacher to walk them to class, I said goodbye. Once they walking about, me and her friends mom hugged and got a bit teary-eyed. Once they were in class, I couldn't help but sneak in to check on her. She was so cute at her desk, coloring and basically not giving a crap that I was leaving. I'm glad. Believe me but it broke my heart a little bit as well. She's getting bigger and more independent, which is what I want but I can't help but remember when she relied on me for everything. They grow up so fast. Treasure the days with your little ones.

Why Do We Write?

I was chatting on a loop the other day and an interesting discussion began. Still thinking about it today. Most of us write because we enjoy it and we have a story to tell. The story we eventually create might even be published somewhere. After that, there are no guaratees about anything. It could be well recieved or roundly panned and most of us pretty much know right off the bat, we aren't gonna get rich off of it.

I'm going to attempt to corral my scattered thoughts into some little bit of order here and apply this discussion into series writing. How do you feel when you buy the second or third or even fourth book in a series and find a favorite character has suddenly done a 180 degree turn? In books one, two, and three you've gotten teasing glimpses of a man who is tortured, rugged, tough, and BIG TIME alpha. The author has described him this way and whetted your interest. Finally his book comes out and he's suddenly different. He's into rainbows, puppy dogs, and long walks on the beach. Are you disappointed? Hell yeah, you're disappointed. You wanted to find out how this guy ticks. What is his past? How can the heroine reach into his tortured soul and heal him with her love and lots of really great sex?

That's pretty disappointing stuff to a reader and, as for me, I probably wouldn't buy this author again. But it's the authors' perogative, right? This is her book, her series. Does she owe her readers, her fans, any consideration at all? I mean, she is the creative force behind the series and this is her literary baby so why can't she change her characters up if she wants?

I guess the question of the day is....does an author owe anything to her readers? Personally, I think she DOES. How would you feel if I invited you to a full out Thanksgiving dinner with all the trimmings and then you show up and I serve a baloney sandwich? Are you disappointed? Probably. But then, this is my house and I can serve what I want, right?

I believe, as writers, we owe something to our readers. It's an expectation thing. Yes, I have created this character and now I must be true to him. He'll surely be flawed but redeemable. He'll be hot and sexy and yes, he MIGHT like rainbows and puppy dogs and long walks on the beach but those would only be small facets his character, they won't overwhelm the picture I've already painted in previous books.

frozen and lost

Unfortunately this isn't a happy post. I wish I could come up with something witty to make you all smile and laugh, but today I'm just not feeling it. I've been suffering lately from a serious lack of self-confidence in relation to my writing. I've had moments in the past where I've been down. Moments where I wondered why I bothered to keep plugging away.

However, this isn't like those other times.

Here at TWW we've chatted about negative reviews and their overall impact, but this isn't about that. This is about negative reader feedback. A bad review is one person's opinion of your work. We can (eventually) move past those. It's not the end of the world, blah, blah. But when you get feedback from readers it means SO much. Authors take those comments to heart. We LOVE LOVE hearing from readers because it means people are reading our books and that's a good feeling. Even if the feedback is negative we still appreciate the fact that this person spent money on our books AND took the time to email the author. Feedback can help because it lets us know what readers are thinking.

But when you get into a situation where you feel as if you're being lynched by a mob of angry women it's a very uncomfortable feeling. Your stomach knots up and you feel like someone just kicked your puppy. Authors put their heart and soul into a story. There's no other way to explain it. We're passionate about what we do. We FEEL for each character. For us they're real. When someone tears it all apart it's as if someone just threw mud all over the Mona Lisa. A shock wave goes through us and we freeze up. It's truly debilitating.

For those of you about to say 'grow a thicker skin'. I hear you. I really do hear you. Most likely the next time this happens I'll be a little less affected. It'll get easier because I'll know what to expect. I won't ever be blind-sided again. But for now, I'm trying to lift myself up and get back in the game. I will because there's no other choice. This won't stop me from writing. This isn't the end.

Nevertheless, for today, for right this moment, I'm feeling very wounded. The saying 'this too shall pass' is a constant refrain in my head. Thankfully, I have friends to lean on. They've let me complain and they've offered their hugs and encouragement. What would we do without friends, right?

With all that said, I do still believe in freedom of speech. These ladies have every right to say what they think. Good, bad or downright ugly, it's their prerogative to speak out. I guess I just need to learn to turn the other cheek. Um, yeah, I'm still working on that. LOL

Trying to GET THIS

Okay, I don't want to offend anyone here but for some time now, I've been trying to figure out the appeal of male/male books to heterosexual female readers. Some of my best friends have been gay guys and I know books about them and their sexual/love relationships are all over the internet these days. That's good. In a free and open society every kind of love story imaginable should be readily available but you'd think these would be marketed to gay men , wouldn't you? Straight women are buying them up and devouring them.

I'll confess, I like my heroes straight and I want him to find the woman of his dreams. I've never bought a m/m book, though I HAVE read scenes before. So can someone out there please tell me what the appeal is? Not for the gay male reader but for the straight female. These days you can go to just about any publisher site and find their home pages full of hunks in a hot embrace on about half the covers. So I've been wondering...why do straight women love these stories?

In the Meantime:
Reviews are coming in for Lone Star Lycan, Book Two of the High Plains Shifters series at Ellora's Cave. So many thanks to Amethyst Nymph at Literary Nymphs for the Five Nymph review! Here's a bit of what she had to say:

Regina Carlysle has come up with a winner in Lone Star Lycan. Readers won’t be able to put the book down without finding out what happens next. The sexual attraction between Quinn and Joe is impossible to ignore and draws readers in like ants at a picnic. The immediate connection this couple shared left me longing to hear more stories about Joe’s Lycan friends, and I intend to be first in line for whatever this author publishes next.

Read the full review HERE!

Melinda at Night Owl Reviews gave LSL a Five and named it a Reviewer's Top Pick! YAY! Here is a bit of what she thought:

Oh my god Regina Carlisle not only created a great story but so much heat it leaps off the pages. I loved the whole paranormal shapeshifter aspects of this book and so didn’t want it to end. Quinn is one lost woman who only wants one thing and that is love. I loved that Joe is all man she needs but she is afraid of falling in love for the first time. Lone Star Lycan is a smoking hot read from the talented Regina Carlysle. This was a definitely a keeper for this reader.

Read the full review HERE!

Vacation Pix!

Bar Harbor, Maine is such a great place to vacation. Very touristy, but fun. The mix of people was interesting this year. There were so many languages that it seemed English was rather unique to hear. The best part about visiting this time of year is that the weather is perfect. Breezy and warm. We had sun most days and it rained once.

So, here are a few pictures!

This is the fantastic view from Cadillac Mt. You really feel as if you could touch the clouds.

Thurston's Lobster Pound. This is the lobster my husband got. Nearly 3lbs. He was in heaven. LOL

This is a view of inside Thurston's. It's a great little place situated on the dock. It's rustic and simple. I came up with a new story idea as I watched the boats moving through the water.

This is the view from the trail we hiked. It was DIFFICULT! I felt like I was rock climbing or something. There wasn't really a trail to speak of either. Just large boulders and very narrow areas that were way too close to the edge. Still, it was worth the effort because the scenery is breathtaking!

My girls, grinning for the camera. LOL

This little place is called Cafe This Way. It's a great, artsy restaurant. They offer breakfast and dinner, no lunch. The paintings on the wall is all from local artists and for sale. This is a fun spot to sit and sip a cup of coffee and just enjoy the atmosphere.

The girls in the car. They made great use of the camera on the way there. I've got pictures of feet, bags of skittles, pants legs...lol

The Atlantic Eyrie Hotel. We were on the top floor and had a great view of the harbor.

This is where I sipped Caronas and did absolutely nothing but relax. It was GREAT!

And now, it's back to work.

Laundry

writing

dishes

errands...

WHAHAAA! I wanna go back to Maine! LOL

Still in a little bit of shock

Regina kind of mentioned this yesterday but I'm still kind of freaking out about it. I know it sounds crazy. I mean, it's Kindergarten but now it's MY daughter going. LOL. It's amazing how fast five years goes. It seems like just yesterday I was feeding her bottles and changing her diapers and now, here I am about to bring her to school for the first time. Where did the time go? If you ask her, she'd try and tell you she's not getting old fast enough. She's only five but she is already telling me what color car she wants when she turns 16. I have no idea what I'm going to do when she actually DOES become a teenager.

Yesterday we found out who her teacher will be and it's the one she wanted which is really exciting. On Friday we have Kindergarten tea with her teacher and classmates before she heads to school in her new school clothes, with her new Hello Kitty backpack and Scooby Doo lunch box on Monday.

You know, I think part of the reason this is hitting me so hard is I turn 30 in December. I mean, I KNOW thirty isn't old but I still can't believe that I am almost there. It goes back to the whole, "where does the time go" question. It's flying by and I have a feeling it will continue to fly by faster each year.

Does the time feeling like it's flying by for you? Anything big coming up that you're both excited but nervous about?

Is it Over Already?

I'm talking about SUMMER here, folks. What the heck happened to it? I was thinking about this the other day and realized we haven't done anything fun at all. The time just slipped away. Now, I did make a trip to Dallas with my daughter and we did some shopping but I don't think that counts, does it? I mean, it was fun, but it wasn't the whole family seeing something different or even hitting our favorite old haunts.

Admittedly, we've been super busy since my daughter is preparing to head off to college in a few weeks. It's amazing all the odds and ends and last minute appointments that have to be dealt with. Crazy. But hey, that's not a vacation. And now, I'm realizing summer has gotten completely away from all of us around here. Talk is turning to the fall and meeting new teachers. The other day, Anne and I were talking with Kelley about her oldest beginning Kindergarten. It's an exciting time and I remember it well. The meet the teacher nights, the beginning of the year PTA meetings, getting the kids signed up for fall sports, dance, yada yada. Already the stores are filled with Back to School stuff.

Oh well. So much for summer vacation. Guess we'll do a WINTER VACATION this year. That's only a few months away, after all.

back from vacation

So, we're back from vacation. More on that Thursday. :) I'm too wiped to try and remember all the things we did and saw. Plus, I'm not officially back until Thurday.

However, there is one thing that I wanted to talk about. Road rage. We saw a bit of this on our trip back home. And let me tell you, I was scared. There was a moment there when I expected to see guns.

This was between two drivers. I have no idea who started this, but things got ugly fast. We're on a freeway, everyone is bumper to bumper, 70 mph and suddenly these two bozos come to a complete stop and one starts to get out of his car...on the freeway! Cursing and acting like a complete idiot. The one guy starts to go again, then the other gets back in his car and follows. They're purposely stopping fast and trying to cause a fender bender. Then a third car gets into the act and also stops and joins in. It was like something out of a movie. We couldn't get out of there fast enough. For one, I didn't want a stray bullet hitting us! Also, all the people slowing down to watch was causing an even worse traffic jam.

We saw these two cars later, and they seemed to be fine, both were staying away from each other. The whole thing just makes me shake my head though. We've all had people angry at us at least once. You ignore them and keep driving. Engaging doesn't solve anything, it just amps up the rage.

Where this all took place is not important. Although, I admit, the horrible traffic and the horn blaring did NOT happen in any other state we drove through. Only this one. I just wonder though, do these people have kids? Is this the way the want them to act? Zero tolerance. Someone is mean to you so you strike back. How is that a solution?

Have you ever experienced something like this?

All I know is, I'm glad to be back among my romance lovin' friends! LOL