Lions, Literati, & an Interview!

Okay, today is going to be mixed bag of stuff.

First, I want to talk about something that really really gets under my skin. Large jungle animals being kept in small cages and treated like housecats. Have you all seen this?





As you can see by watching th video, the lion wasn't provoked and I'm not saying his trainer did a single thing wrong in the way he handles the animal. But, the lion did attack. It wasn't really going for the kill, as is obvious by the video. So why did it suddenly spring at the trainer and chomp into his leg? Well, that one is easy. It's a LION, that's why!

These animals are beautiful, majestic, wild, and dangerous. They do not belong anywhere near a cage with a glass wall so that people can take pictures of it and go all goo-goo over the pretty kitty. Wild means wild. They aren't domesticated, nor should they be. When are we going to learn that we as humans don't have the right to just do whatever we please? Taking a lion out of its natural habitat and thrusting it in front of cameras is bound to cause problems.

That said, I was very touched by the lioness. Did you see how she attempted to control the situation? These creatures should be free. They should not be locked up. At least that's my humble oppinion. Or not so humble, I guess.

Okay, with that rant over. Have you seen the new eReader that's about to hit the market?



The Literati (love that name) will be hitting the streets in October. The good news, it has Wi-Fi, the price is fairly reasonable at $159, it's cute as hell, and it has :::::drumroll::::: a color display! Yes! I love this feature. LOVE IT!


There is a downside, obviously. Isn't there always? The Literati doesn't have 3G connectivity. YET! Bummer, I know. But, and this is yet more good news, it will be available at the following stores: Macy's, Kohl's, J. C. Penney, Best Buy and Bed, Bath & Beyond. Is that sweet or what? Now, what does this all mean for us authors? MORE EXPOSURE! Hot damn! More people reading ebooks = more sales!


Is the Literati as great as the Kindle or the Nook? Perhaps, perhaps not. We'll just have to wait and see. Still, the great thing about this new device is that it gives readers even more options. They are no longer forced to choose from a select few devices. And I really think that people who maybe haven't gotten an eReader, maybe haven't really explored the whole eReading craze, will at least be shown the way, as it were. LOL And that makes this ebook author a very happy camper!

Okay, the last thing I wanted to share with you all is a contest. Over at Desert Island Keepers I've been interviewed. And it was a fun one too. ;-) It's a three day event, so be sure to stop by tomorrow, too, as I'll be chatting about my 5 favorite books and why they're my favorites. Then on Saturday, well, that's a surprise (mostly because I haven't written up the blog yet, lol). Anyway, leave me a comment over there and you're entered to win...BOOKS! Cool, eh?

Ranting--Celebs & Their Sexcapades

I need to unload, do you mind? :)

Okay, the Tiger Woods scandal. Am I the only one sick and tired of hearing about this man's personal life?! I know that celebrities are out there in the spotlight all the time. Everything they do impacts their career. Their personal lives are always being gossiped about. That's really nothing new to any of us. If you go to the grocery store you see the magazine covers. The two big topics are always sex and weight gain. It never fails to amaze me how shallow it all is. I could care less how much weight Brittany Spears gained. AND I don't care how she lost it either! I really have no use for that sort of crap. Who has time to read all this fluff? Lately it's the sexcapades of Tiger. Various women are coming out and telling all. *rolls eyes*

What boggles my mind the most is that these people DO have families. Does anyone ever consider the kids?? Tiger has a child. What's going to happen when that child grows up and decides to google her dad's name? I personally wouldn't want to know what goes on behind my parent's bedroom door. Imagine finding hundreds of articles and pictures about your dad and his philandering?!

So many people are weighing on this issue. It just makes me crazy! I don't care what the man did or who he did it with. As far as I'm concerned that's something he, his wife and God need to deal with. What I do care about is the total lack of concern for the children. Doesn't anyone ever think of what this crap could be doing to them? It's all so tacky!

My personal feelings are simple. When I turn on the TV I want to watch a show, a movie, something to take my mind off the horrors of the world. When I watch the news I want to see REAL headlines. How's the economy? What's happening in Iraq? That's the important stuff. The trials and tribulations between Angelina and Brad is just meaningless bullshit to me.

Okay...end of rant. LOL

Now, it's your turn. Does this sort of news impact your life?

What do YOU think?

Something has been on my mind and I figured I may as well bring it to the blog.

Yesterday, I read a news article about a 15 year old girl who was gang raped at her homecoming dance. She left the dance early and was waiting on her dad when a group asked her to join them for a few drinks in the school courtyard. She went with them, probably expecting a fun time. Instead, what she got was 2 1/2 hours of sheer torture. The full story here.

I'm sickened by this. Even more so by the fact that there were over 2 dozen students who stood and watched and cheered as this poor little girl was beaten, robbed, and repeatedly raped. The assailants AND the onlookers reportedly took pictures and even videos with their cell phones. By the time the police found her she was unconscious and they were still raping her!

There's no question these individuals should fry for what they've done. My question is, should the ones cheering, taking pictures, and doing absolutely nothing to help be punished as well? The California law states that if you see a sex crime being commited to a person 14 and under, and you don't report it, you could face criminal charges. This girl is 15, which means all those people who took joy in her suffering get to move on with their lives, happy as clams. This makes me sick! The entire thing makes me want to keep my daughters closer than ever!

What do you think? Should doing NOTHING be a crime?

Also, take a moment today and send this girl some healing thoughts and prayers. She needs them.

The cold of flu season...YUCK

Even though I look forward to this time of year because it's such a welcome break from the hot summer, there's also a part of me that dreads it. This is the time of year so many people get sick. I have a Kindergartner this year which means days spent in class with 20 other five and six year olds so this year, I'm dreading it even more. I worry she'll catch more this year with the germs, the weather and being around so many other children all the time.

I've always gotten my kids the regular flu shot. I never really thought twice about it. They said it was good for the kids and so I did it. I've never had any problems with it and plan to get theirs soon for this season as well. I'm learning of the h1n1 though...I've spent a lot of time thinking about this and I'm just not sure what to do. I always stress when it comes to important decisions for my children. I'm always so scared of doing the wrong thing for them.

There's a part of me that thinks...'duh, it's obvious you should get the shot'. The strain of flu is so dangerous for kids and I would hate to risk my little girls getting it. Especially since my oldest kiddo is in school now. But then there is the other nagging part of me that worries about the shot as well. It's completely knew and so there's no way to know if there are any kind of long term affects, especially for children. I've read a little online and the experts are saying its much safer to get the vaccine then risk contracting the virus. They said they spend the same amount of time creating the vaccine for h1n1 as they do the regular flu shot each year because the flu changes each year so in response they must chance the vaccine each year.

Still, there are so many out there who are nervous too. I read that something like 50% of Americans polled don't plan to get the shot for their kids. I have mixed feelings about that. It makes me feel a little bit validated for my fear, but on the other hand, it's scary too. I'm just not sure what to do.

Do you get flu shots every year? Are you planning to get h1n1?

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?

Where were you?

Last Thursday, my daughter Avery and I walked into our hotel room in Dallas and immediately flipped on the television. Breaking news was that Michael Jackson had been taken to the hospital and that he was in cardiac arrest. We sat stunned watching everything unfold. We realized how serious it was when the news folk began to refer to him in the past tense and it wasn't long before they announced he'd died.

We honestly didn't know what to say. Finally we just looked at each other. Avery finally said....you know, I think I'll always remember this moment. Where we were when we heard this.

I realized that when these shocking things happen our memories are just so clear. Looking back, I remember sitting in the backseat of my mom's car with my girlfriend Joy. Heck, we were just little girls but I still remember hearing that John Kennedy had been assassinated. Later, I remember sitting on the floor next to my babysitter watching television when they announced that Robert Kennedy was murdered in Los Angeles. When Elvis died, I was standing at the kitchen sink in my parent's home. I learned of John Lennon's murder while on my way to my college sorority winter formal. I was with a date and we stopped somewhere to listen to the news on the radio. I cried and messed up my makeup.

Again, I was with my daughter in a hotel in Plano, Texas when we heard the news of the sudden death of Steve Irwin, The Crocodile Hunter. And the day Pope John Paul died, Avery and I were also in Plano, walking to our car after her tennis match, when friends pulled up and told us the news.

My kids were both nationally ranked tennis players and it seems I've spend much of my life traveling with them here and there for tournaments so it's no great surprise that we were often on the road when hearing shocking news of some kind.

Do you remember where you were when stunning news occurs? Bet you do.

In other news:

My friend Anny Cook, a talented writer and friend of this blog, has a release! YAY! Surpassing Pleasures is out today at Ellora's Cave. I've read this book (not surprising since Anny is one of my critique partners) and I have to say it's AWESOME. If you like shifters and hot hot stuff, you'll love this one.

BUY IT HERE!

Blurb:

Special Agent Sebastian Spade has worked hard to convince Zipporah Jericho that he’s her man. But every encounter ends with Zip dancing out of reach to protect a family secret. When they are brought together by a murder, Seb determines this time he will never let her go.

In the bedroom, on the road, in a secret cabin in the woods, he masters her body by daring to satisfy her deepest desires. As they explore the forbidden pleasures that await them with every touch, they discover trust is another word for love.

Excerpt:

Zip knew it was going to be a bad week when she found a body in the ladies restroom. Fortunately, it wasn’t her first discovery of a body so she didn’t scream or do any of the other stereotypical sissy stuff but it did piss her off. No woman should have to deal with a dead person when it was that time of the month—unless it was somebody the woman had finished off herself.
The woman’s short blonde hair was mussed, sticking out in all directions. The knife protruding from her back was a pretty clear indicator that death wasn’t accidental. And the pool of blood surrounding her left little hope that she survived, so Zip elected to go for help.
She backed out into the hall, bumping into Sebastian Spade, her brother’s coworker.
“Zip?”
“Body in the restroom,” she blurted out. “Dead body.”
He tugged her out of the way, pressing her against the wall next to the door. “Don’t move.” He slipped his gun from his holster, opened the restroom door with his shoulder and peeked inside. Damn. It certainly looked like a body to him. Approaching the woman, he leaned down and checked for signs of life though experience told him the woman was gone. He blew out a quick breath, pulled his cell phone from his pocket and punched his partner’s number on speed dial.
“Yeah?”
“Me. Your sister just found a body in the restroom.” Before Quill could ask any questions, Seb turned off the phone and went back in the hallway to join Zipporah. “Quill’s on his way. Do you need to sit down?”
She crossed her arms tightly over her chest to hide her trembling hands. “No. I’m okay until he gets here.” Her quick visit with her brother Quill at the local FBI office had turned out to be a bad idea. She thought about asking for her purse, still on the restroom floor where she’d dropped it, but decided that was a bad idea. Maybe Quill or Seb would be able to return it to her later.
Seb crouched next to her while they waited. “How about telling me what happened?”
She rubbed her arms with trembling hands. “I stopped in the restroom to brush my hair. It’s windy outside. A-and there she was on the floor.”
“Did you recognize her?”
Zip shook her head. “I didn’t see her face.”
He just nodded and straightened up as Quill rushed down the hall toward them.

Perfection? Highly Overrated

Really late one night, I was flipping channels and just about to give up and crawl in bed when I saw this show called Little Miss Perfect. Has anyone seen it? Each episode follows two sets of mothers and daughters as they get ready to "compete" for the title of Little Miss Perfect.

I swear this show is like watching a train wreck and it becomes readily apparent that winning the crown is more important to the mothers than it is to the child. The little girls are just really normal looking little girls who lose their front teeth, want to play with friends and pretty much be NORMAL. But these moms are totally obsessed. They spend thousands of dollars on the frilly pageant dresses, cuter than cute bathing suits and drill their little charges on their dance routines until the children are stressed to the max.

I've now caught a few episodes very late at night and just shake my head over them. The moms argue this teaches their little girls poise and confidence and how to perform in public but I get the feeling the whole thing is more about "mom" who sits in the audience during each competition, hanging on the edge of her seat, biting nails, and basically looking utterly stressed. Now the interesting thing is there is almost zero audience. These things are held in hotel/motel conference rooms that are filled with folding chairs that remain largely empty except for a handful of moms and other friends and family. The moms grin hugely at their children on the stage and POINT at their smiles as reminders that smiles are always expected.

Also expected are the mounds and mounds of hair pieces, fake tans, and "flippers". Flippers are fake teeth that are placed in the child's mouth to cover the gaps, spaces, and flaws that are normal in a small child's mouth. I honestly don't think I'm the only one who believes a child doesn't need all this fake shit to be considered beautiful. Nothing makes me smile more than seeing the little school pictures that feature those happy, gap-toothed smiles.

Over the past few days, several of my friends and fellow Ellora's Cave authors have been discussing 'meeting' for the first time at Romanticon which will be held in October. We've been on line friends forever but many of us have never met in person. The idea of meeting evolved into a 'show of faces' as we proceeded to show that average women are goddesses too. Many of us have participated in this and we've posted pics of us without make up, fancy clothes, etc. Yes, average women doing our thing. Are we trying to make a point? Oh hell yes. I think so.

Want to catch a picture of me as I really am? Please check out my Regina Blog. Loud, proud and yes, very average. Average is okay with me.

Strange Happenings

Seriously? How in the world did these people survive?! Amazing!

Real:
(source: AOL News)It took surgeons in Putian, China, 30 minutes to extract this 4-inch pair of nail scissors from a man's throat. He was using them as a toothpick when a friend's joke made him laugh -- and down went the scissors, according to London's Daily Mail.

(source: AOL News) A 6-inch pair of surgical scissors appears in the abdomen of Australian Pat Skinner in April 2004 -- 18 months after her initial operation.

So, your mother was right, never play with scissors! (and watch those surgeons! Yikes!)

Out of curiosity, have you ever been in a bizarre accident or has anything really strange ever happened to you?

_______________________________________

In other news...lol

I have a print book out with Samhain. My first Samhain print in fact! Check it out! :)

"Seduce Me PRINT" by Anne Rainey

Genre: Contemporary Romance, Red Hots!
ISBN: 978-1-60504-173-5

Length: 232 Pages

Price: 13.00

Publication Date: April 28, 2009

Cover art by Scott Carpenter

Melts in your mouth—not in your heart.

Anne Rainey takes indulging the senses to a whole new level with two stories that are melt-in-your-mouth sexy!

Touching Lace

Lacey Vaughn is convinced she needs help in the ways of seduction. Being the good best pal he is, Nick Stone offers to give her a few pointers in the ways of sexual pleasure. From his first touch, Lacey forgets all about lessons. All she wants is more of him. Having craved Lacy for months, Nick is ready to be seen as more than the dreaded good friend. He's ready to lay it all on the line to have the little spitfire all for himself—including his heart.

Tasting Candy

Blade Vaughn is hungry for sex and there's only one woman on his menu: Candice Warner. But when he witnesses the shy beauty go into a panic over a harmless encounter, it becomes about more than just sex. He's out to prove that sex with him is just the therapy she needs. Candice is used to being afraid of her own shadow. She's ready to get over her past trauma and start living again. But it's hard when panic threatens every time the one man she wants comes near.
Warning, this title contains the following: explicit sex using graphic terms. A naughty make-out session in a public place, and lots of steam.

Read An Excerpt Online

Buy from Amazon.com

Unbelievable!

Sometimes the most seemingly impossible things happen and you're left just shaking your head. Anyone see the movie Slumdog Millionaire? It was a good movie...very well done in my opinion but I had a lot of trouble watching it. All the poverty and the abuse of children. The slums. The filth. Nope. Not a movie I would ever watch again.

Yesterday a story surfaced about the little girl who was featured for a large part of the film. I remember thinking when I saw the movie how absolutely gorgeous she was. British director, Danny Boyle, cast children who actually live in the slums of Mubai. Yes, this beautiful little girl lives in a slum with her father who, it was reported, tried to sell his little girl for $300,000 the other day. Nothing has been proven yet and the father of the little girl is protesting that he had no intention of selling his child but he did meet with someone who offered to buy her.

The story mentioned a British reporter, posing as a wealthy Saudi, made the offer and he claims the girl's father was interested. More news came out later about this whole thing when the movie company who made Slumdog Millionaire discussed how these children were paid for their appearance in the movie. Because the children's parents were so horribly greedy and grasping, the studio execs decided to establish trust funds for these kids...something they can collect when they are "of age", schools were paid for, etc. Very nice. The movie executives believed these parents would squander the money so they put protections in place to assure that when they were adults, they would recieve wonderful educations and money. Some of the parents of these kids bitched fairly loudly that they wanted money and the whole trustfund thing was unfair.

Apparently the notion that his child would be provided for in adulthood wasn't enough for this little girls father. Investigations are ongoing on this deal but, I swear, if they find this guy guilty of attempting such a horrific thing I hope harsh justice is meted out. This whole thing is sickening.

Alabama Shootings

I'm sure you all saw the terrible story on the news about the man who went on a shooting rampage in Alabama. I didn't know the full story until I read this news article though. If you watch the video, it describes how this man put his own mother on the couch, piled things on top of her, then set her on fire. But that would only be the beginning of his rampage. After he burned his mother to death, he then killed four dogs, drove several miles to a relatives' house where he killed three relatives and two other individuals.

Still, he's not finished.

He then proceeded to shoot another relative who lived next door. After all this, he got in his car and drove around where he ended up killing three more people, these were just folks in the wrong place at the wrong time, total strangers. One man was shot in the back. At the end of his rampage he drove to a place where he used to work, shot and wounded an officer, then finally killed himself.

What drives a person to this sort of violence? It boggles my mind that at some point he didn't stop and ask himself, 'what am I doing?!' Random acts of violence are always somehow more horrific because of the sudden savagery of it all. There always seem to be no reasoning. So many people are dead because one man simply picked up a gun.

Are gun laws too weak? Is this a sign of stress in these tough economic times, or is that just an excuse? I feel sorry for the people who lost their lives, simply because they got in this man's way. It's frightening to think this can happen anywhere and at any time. It's a reminder to me to always give a kiss and say I love you to my family as they walk out the door...