Kate Willoughby, Smokin' Hot Erotic Romance

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2010-09-04T17:40:00.000-07:00

This Blog Has Moved (Sorry for the inconvenience)

2010-07-25T08:22:00.000-07:00

This is my old blog. If you've come here in search of new stuff, you've gone astray. Go here instead for the updated blog! Thanks!!

So Long...

2008-12-31T06:20:00.000-08:00

My blog has moved!

I've redecorated.

Come see. :D

Forget Walking on the Grass!

2008-12-29T11:15:00.000-08:00

Found this sign, supposedly posted at an erotic art museum.

Isn't that hilarious?

Thursday 3: Christmas Traditions

2008-12-25T14:13:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas! I don't expect a lot of blog visitors today, but just in case, here are three of the things we do year after year.

1. I put up my Santa tree(s). I collect Santa ornaments and my collection has grown so large it won't fit on my little tree (right), so I have an auxillary tree (left) now.

Some of the ones I love best are the ones that have a pull string that make Santa's arms and legs flap up and down. The boys love the one that plays music.

2. We put up Christmas lights. Some years we do it earlier than other years. I was ecstatic the year hub and the boys did it Thanksgiving weekend. That was only one shining year.

3. My husband's family celebrates on Christmas Eve. They always open presents, one at a time, in order of age, youngest first.

No More Puff!

2008-12-23T15:20:00.000-08:00

OMG! I love this product.

I have chronic puff under my eyes, which I camoflage with my eyeglasses. However, on a whim, I decided to try this stuff and it totally works! About half an hour after I apply it, my puffs are gone!

I think it runs for about $14, but it's worth it, I say!

Love Is: Toast

2008-12-22T04:00:00.000-08:00

Love Is is a feature on my blog in which I offer ways to add a dash of romance to your life. Who couldn't use a little more romance? I sure could!

Toast each other when you sit down to dinner. It doesn't need to be over bubbly or wine, but even a glass of water or iced tea. Tell your honey something you love about him/her and then drink to it!

Artist: Chris Trueman

2008-12-19T06:30:00.000-08:00

This piece is called Tsunami. It reminds me of Hokusai Katsushika's The Great Wave at Kanagawa (below). Perhaps Chris was inspired by it. I would love to built a whole room around this painting. The colors are gorgeous. Too bad I don't have a room to build around this painting. Well, the boys' room is blue, but I probably can't afford this guy's stuff anyway.

Chris says, "I began making my current body of work as way of exploring my long-standing interest in the difference between the physiological process of sight, and the psychological and cognitive aspect of perception. I am fascinated by the way that people build narratives, interpret visual spaces and extract meaning from visual information." That's an interesting point of view as an artist, and I think it's just a fancy way of saying beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

If you'd like to behold more of Trueman's work, click here.

Have a fantastic weekend!

Thursday 3: Resistance!

2008-12-18T14:15:00.000-08:00

There's a popular meme called Thursday 13 in which every Thursday you make a list of thirteen things. I did this for a few months, but I don't have time for thirteen! So, I whittled it down to Thursday 3.

I went to the grocery store today. Here are three things I really wanted to buy, but didn't.

Kettle Potato Chips - These are the bomb. There's a honey mustard flavor that is so good I could eat the entire bag, throw up afterwards, and not care. (I hate throwing up, so that says a lot.)

Skinny Cow Ice cream Sandwiches - I like the chocolate peanut butter version, but they're all good. If I get the PB ones, no one eats them but me. That's good and bad.

California Pizza Kitchen Frozen Pizza - I didn't get this because I just don't have room in my freezer!

Is there something you've NOT gotten at the store recently?

Eppie Finalist

2008-12-17T04:00:00.000-08:00

A Wolf at Her Door is up for an Eppie Award! I never expect to final in contests, so I was flabbergasted when I got an email from the EPIC (Electronically Published Internet Connection) people notifying me that my book was a finalist in the paranormal erotic romance category.

There were seventy-eight other paranormal erotic romances entered, which, I believe, makes it the largest category they had this year. Nine made the cut. Except for Jackie and the Beanstalk, the other paranormals are dark.

Since it's the Christmas season, I'll pimp them here:

N.J. Walters's Eternal Brothers
Paige Tyler's Animal Attraction
Cindy Spencer Pape's Curses
Eden Rivers's Nature's Pentacle
Jacqueline Meadows's Jackie and the Beanstalk
Vivien Dean's Mercy of These Bones
Jamie Craig's Mosaic Moon
Monica Burns's Dangerous

They announce the winners at their EPIC conference, this year it's in March in Las Vegas, and I think someone upstairs wants me to go because hubby's National Conference is in Vegas at the same exact time.

Earn prizes!

2008-12-16T13:00:00.000-08:00

I have been filling out surveys for HarrisPollsOnline.com for probably about two years now and it's been terrific. Every week or so they invite you to voice your opinions about various things. I remember surveys about my grocery shopping habits, if I liked this new Ben and Jerry's packaging, what I thought about a short commercial for Six Flags. And for every survey you fill out, you get Hi Points, which you can redeem for cool stuff.

The lowest prize you can earn is a $5 Amazon gift card.

For 6000 points you can get a percussion massager, a volleyball/badmintton set, among other things.

At 7500 points, I can get a $50 gift certificate to: Ticketmaster, Sephora, Barnes & Noble.com, Fandango, Cabela's, Shoebuy, Crutchfield, Overstock.com, Dick's Sporting Goods, NASCAR, HBO, L.L.Bean, Lands' End, NFLShop.com, NHL, Nickelodeon, Omaha Steaks, Racing One, Sport Chalet, Sports Authority, Wine.com, Brookstone.

So, if you're interested, click here. (By the way, I get nothing for passing this info on to you. I just like recommending cool stuff.)

Open Letter to the Jerk Who Stole My Planner

2008-12-15T14:08:00.000-08:00

Dear Asshole,

You found my day planner in the kiddie-seat portion of a Ralph's grocery cart last Wednesday. You neglected to turn it in to the management of the Ralph's--why? I can't imagine. There was nothing valuable in it, except, I think, five bucks in the back. Big whoopee.

But now I have to get a new planner and try to remember which appointments I had written down in the coming months. I have to hope that you don't bother anyone listed in my very scanty address list. (Have fun calling my endochrinologist and my kids' orthodontist.

Thanks for all the anxiety and frustration. It's just what I needed at this time of year.

I hope you have a crappy holiday.

Artist: Heather Jansch

2008-12-12T03:59:00.000-08:00

Happy Art Friday! My mother alerted me to this fabulous artist who makes horses out of driftwood! She combs the beaches after high tide and storms to find her raw materials, examines what she's got, and sees how the pieces speak to her and how she can connect them into a horsey shape. She also uses fiberglass, resin, and stee to make them more durable and stable. If you ask me, she captures the natural beauty of horses so wonderfully.

You can view more of Heather Jansch's amazing work at her website.

Have a fantastic weekend!

Thursday 3: Yuck

2008-12-11T03:46:00.000-08:00

There's a popular meme called Thursday 13 in which every Thursday you make a list of thirteen things. I did this for a few months, but I don't have time for thirteen! So, I whittled it down to Thursday 3.

Here are three things I can't stand to eat. To me, they are disgusting.

1. Bleu cheese - Why would I want to eat something that's gone moldy???
2. Cilantro - This stuff makes me gag, which makes it hard sometimes to have Mexican food.

3. Liver - EXCEPT one time I had this very excellent goose liver pate. (I won't post a picture because it looks as gross as it tastes.

What foods do you hate?

Name that Actor #1

2008-12-10T06:14:00.000-08:00

Okay, Name that Movie was too easy. I'm going to make it harder, and hopefully more fun. Here are some characters played by one actor/actress. Who is it?

Roberta Lincoln (1968)
Inga (1974)
Sandy Lester (1982)

Two Choices #4

2008-12-09T10:00:00.000-08:00

It's that "time of year." These days, holiday movies are so easy to watch. Back in the day, we used to have to scan the TV Guide to see when our favorites were going to air and schedule the time to be there when it did. So my question for you this week is:

Rudolph or Frosty?

A Wolf at Her Door Review

2008-12-08T02:19:00.000-08:00

Heather at Night Owl Romance loved my book and made it a Top Pick! Yay!!!

Here's a little condensed version of her review:

Kate Willoughby’s latest release, A Wolf at Her Door, is a hilariously funny, charmingly romantic paranormal read.

This book has some of my favorite concepts when it comes to the paranormal: werewolves, fairies, wishes fulfilled, magical mishaps, love and happily ever after. Kate Willoughby writes enchanting characters with red-hot passion and emotional depth. The concept of this series fascinates me... After reading this book I really want to go back and read the first book in this series, All In, just to get more info on Paige and her friends.

This book is definitely a keeper and I recommend it wholeheartedly.

For the whole review, click here.

Artist: CJ Randall

2008-12-05T04:50:00.000-08:00

Welcome to another Art Friday at my blog. This is Embrace by CJ Randall. Isn't this just beautiful? It sort of visually embodies what I hope I can get down on paper. This guy is a very talented watercolorist. You can commission him to paint a fantasy portrait from a photo. Check it out. I think the ones of the children are adorable. Have a terrific weekend.

Thursday 3: Birthday Presents

2008-12-04T04:27:00.000-08:00

It was my birthday last month. Here are three things I got.

1. An electric blanket. I just went and turned on the preheat feature so when I go to bed, it'll be all warm and toasty.

2. A table liner for my new dining room table so that when someone spills on the tablecloth, like they did at Thanksgiving, we don't have to completely strip the table of everything to clean up the spill (even between the leaves.) We can rest assured that the liner is waterproof.

3. Dreamweaver. I have been wanting to be able to update my website without bothering my website designer. I found out students can buy the program for about 50% off, so I had my son "buy" it. :) Now I just have to learn how to use it. :)

Two Choices #3

2008-12-03T13:07:00.000-08:00

We recently pigged out at our favorite sushi restaurant, Love Sushi. I ate so much, my stomach hurt. I don't eat the raw stuff, but they have a shrimp tempura roll that's delish!

However, I am Chinese and love Chinese food. Our favorite local place for Chinese is the Mandarin Wong. They have fantastic chow fun. Their walnut shrimp isn't too bad either.

So what's your choice? Chinese or Japanese?

Pen #7: Look! Up in the Sky!

2008-12-02T04:52:00.000-08:00

This is the latest in a series of posts about pens. I'm a pen freak. I can't afford most of the pens I'll be blogging about, but a girl can dream, can't she?

My son mentioned to me that there was some cool celestial happening going on and I saw it last night. Here's some info about it from the Griffith Observatory. They're a little confused on their dates, so I'm not sure if they mean Monday, last night, or Dec. 3, Wednesday.

This week brings the climax to the pairing of the brightest planets, Venus and Jupiter, in the evening sky. This spectacle is best seen at about 6:00 p.m., when the two planets are about 17 degrees above the southwest horizon. Jupiter is nearly 5 degrees to the upper left of brighter Venus on Wednesday night, the 26th. They continue to draw closer until they reach conjunction, their closest approach to each other, on Sunday night, November 30. The planets are then separated by just over two degrees. The grouping is made even more spectacular by the presence of the slender crescent moon, just 7 degrees below the planets. This trio will be at their most attractive on the next night, Monday, December 3, with Jupiter 2.2 degrees to the right of Venus, and the moon only 4 degrees to the upper right of the pair. On following nights, Jupiter will appear farther from Venus, moving down and to the right. The planets set at about 7:40 p.m.

So, in honor of this, I present the Galileo pen.

The hand painted midnight navy cap radiates color from cosmic orange to celestial gold. Atop the cap lies a sterling silver three-dimensional portrait of Galileo gazing towards the heavens. The clip modeled after parts of his telescope, directs the eye towards "Galileo", which is emblazoned into the band at the bottom of the cap. A unique, hand painted, mother of pearl barrel marries images of celestial constellations along with an artistic interpretation of their symbolism. The dark night sky provides exceptional contrast for these luminescent figures.

This pen is only $4750.00. They only made 388 of them, so what are you waiting for?

Bracelet Winner!

2008-12-01T12:08:00.000-08:00

Heather is the lucky winner of the dragon Italian charm bracelet! Email me your address, Heather, and I'll send you the bracelet lickety-split. :)

How to Hypnotize a Man

2008-12-01T04:41:00.000-08:00

So, I saw this on my friend Gaucho's blog. I'm sure this is intended for men, but I found myself playing with it for a few minutes.

The winner of the dragon charm bracelet will be announced later today (after I get off work.)

Artist: Kim Brill

2008-11-28T07:45:00.000-08:00

This is a beautiful glass screen called Apologies to FLW by Kim Brill 36"x48". FLW is Frank Lloyd Wright, one of my favorite architects. I'm not sure why she's apologizing to him. I think this work is gorgeous. Of course, I'd be terrified to have it in my house for fear of it falling over and breaking.

Any comments made between now and the end of the month enter you to win this Italian charm bracelet with a special dragon charm to commemorate JIN-HAKKU's release. :) Winner to be announced Dec. 1. (Sorry about the crappy picture.)

SECRETS OF JIN HAKKU :: Today's the Day

2008-11-26T06:56:00.000-08:00

What the heck are you doing here? You should be HERE, buying my book. LMAO. Just kidding.

At long last, my fourth Ellora's Cave release is out. :) I am anxious to see how it sells, since it's my first menage story, and curious to see how readers react to the unusual (but still very happy!) ending.

Read the public excerpt here to answer today's question.

Today's Question: Kai offered Joran a choice of lemon grass, star amber, or jasmine oil to use on Hana. He chose star amber, a scent I made up. Heh heh. But even not knowing how that smells, which of the three would you choose?

SECRETS OF THE JIN-HAKKU :: An All-Time High

2008-11-25T04:10:00.000-08:00

If you didn't already know, my newest release, SECRETS OF THE JIN-HAKKU, comes out tomorrow! (Squeeee!!!!) This is the fourth of five posts about it.

I always like to calculate the amount of sex I have in my stories, just out of curiosity, and this book gets the prize.

Sex scenes: 5

Shortest sex scene: 919 words

Longest sex scene: 4228 words (OMG. That's enormous, but it has three parts, so I hope it isn't tedious.)

Sex percentage: 45%!!

Today's Question: Have you read books that have too much sex?

SECRETS OF JIN HAKKU :: The Shinwa Culture

2008-11-24T03:48:00.000-08:00

This marks the third of five blog posts about my newest release SECRETS OF THE JIN-HAKKU, coming out on Wednesday!

I had long wanted to write a menage story, but was always stymied by how to create a happily-ever-after without jettisoning the third guy at the end. Of course, there are menage stories written where all three remain together, but this is one area where I have trouble separating our real world from the fictional. I have a thing about giving kids two daddies and a mommy, full time. (Not to be confused with step-daddies and/or divorced daddies.)

So, I created a world in which triads are the norm. I even went a step further and made it physiologically impossible for them to reproduce without two males and one female. Building this world turned out to be so much fun. My crazy brain kept coming up with idea after idea, and I felt a bit of nostalgia for the days when I read science fiction and fantasy almost exclusively. So, I thought I'd present a few of the words I had to make up.

budo - a form of martial arts

kachi - pussy (not the cat!)

konsu - an instrument used in anal play

omaka - a tub used only for soaking

sansou - a flowering plant with a prickly stem

sakei - the very deep sleep that occurs when a woman fails to become pregnant, normally only a few hours.

sakei-ma - the more serious consequence of continued infertility, during which the woman body shuts down almost completely to survive on body fat.

sakei-ma-sa - the most extreme stage of non-pregnancy. To say more would be a spoiler. :)

suki/suko - a term of endearment

tama gi - a high class prostitute

tingtze berries - named for their peppery sweet flavor

yumata - robes worn in days gone by whose fabrics, colors and/or knotted sashes depended on the activity.

I hope this whets your appetite to read the book, which comes out on the 26th!!

Today's question: The Shinwa people love to bathe. Do you prefer to take baths or showers?

SECRETS OF THE JIN-HAKKU :: Mysterious Kisses

2008-11-21T04:35:00.000-08:00

Today I'm abandoning my usual Friday art offering in order to give you a small snippet from the book, different from the one that will appear on the Ellora's Cave website. I hope you enjoy it.

“Who will be first to taste your lips, Imperial Highness?” Kai asked, his eyes smoldering with frank desire. His costume consisted of the black dragon wings, headdress, and tight-fitting trousers, leaving his battle-scarred torso bare, except for the straps for his wings. This had caused quite a stir among the female guests, Hana included. While she shuddered to think about the horrific wounds that had caused them, his scars honed his masculinity to a keen edge.

“I don’t know. I don’t think I can choose,” she answered honestly.

“Let us choose then,” Joran said in a silky voice. “Close your eyes, suki. We’ll kiss you one at a time and when we’re finished, you tell us who went first.”

With a deep breath, Hana let her eyes fall shut. “Very well.”

There was rustling as they shifted positions and gently spun her around to disorient her. When at last they all stood still, her entire body hummed with anticipation. The music and chatter from outside in the grand ballroom seemed muted as she waited breathlessly for the first touch of someone’s mouth. But instead, the first thing she felt was a warm hand on her cheek, a thumb stroking softly, like a brush of a flower petal. She sighed. Someone moved behind her. She could feel his body heat through the fabric of her gown. He stood close, but not close enough to touch. Yet.

The man in front of her cupped both cheeks and stroked her lips with his thumbs, outlined her mouth. Expectation gripped her so completely she felt as if her life had come to a halt and that nothing could happen to her until he kissed her.

She smelled cinnamon on his breath as he brought his face closer and whispered, “Do you know how long we’ve wanted to do this?”

“No,” she breathed.

“Since we first met,” came the reply. “Not a night goes by that we are not hard from thinking about you.”

Their soft, growling whispers were impossible to recognize.

“You inhabit our dreams,” said the one behind her, “always out of reach.” Warm breath tickled the hairs on her neck. She felt something brush against her bottom, then her breasts, but so lightly she might have imagined it.

“But no matter how many times we find our relief without you, we are never satisfied.”

Hana took in a ragged breath, picturing that in her mind—the two of them, holding their erect cocks in their hands, stroking as they fantasized about her, groaning in frustration even as they climaxed.

Her breath came faster. “Then end it. Kiss me now.”

Today's Question: Have you ever played a kissing game, like Spin the Bottle or the like?

SECRETS OF JIN HAKKU Thursday 3: Three to Tango

2008-11-20T03:57:00.000-08:00

There's a popular meme called Thursday 13 in which every Thursday you make a list of thirteen things. I did this for a few months, but I don't have time for thirteen! So, I whittled it down to Thursday 3.

Whenever I have a new release, I traditionally celebrate by dedicating a week's worth of blogging to that book. This post marks the first of five about SECRETS OF THE JIN-HAKKU, which comes out on November 26!

JIN-HAKKU is a menage story. So to start things off I thought I'd post three menage images.

This is probably from a Greek piece of pottery. My friend, Evie Byrne, would be able to tell you much more about this. Maybe she'll pop in and comment. I chose this image because in JIN-HAKKU, Hana gets to enjoy this position with her conjugal pair, Kai and Joran, however, in my book the heftiness of the figures is reversed. This Greek woman is Amazonian compared to Hana!

Here's another menage image. This one made me chuckle. Cats gang-banging. Who knew?

Lastly is a Photoshopped image of me a friend made as a joke. Check out that rack! My chest has never looked that...prominent. Those things look like they could break a window.

Today's Question: Who do you like better? Pitt or Damon?

Quote: Going For It

2008-11-19T05:10:00.000-08:00

The enemy of the 'best' is often the 'good.'

--Stephen Covey

Name that Movie #1

2008-11-18T04:37:00.000-08:00

"That's funny. Wasn't he pointing the other way?"

Two Choices #2

2008-11-17T15:48:00.000-08:00

Flan or Creme brulee?

Last night my son and I made flan for the first time. He's taking Spanish this year in high school and the assignment was to create a menu, all in Spanish, cook one of the dishes, and bring it in to share with the class. We discovered that both flan (creme caramel) and creme brulee are from France. The only real difference is that in flan, the sugar top is gooey and on creme brulee, it's crunchy.

So which do you prefer? I like creme brulee better. I the burnt sugar flavor is more intense.

Artist: Dante Gabriel Rossetti (1828-1882)

2008-11-14T04:00:00.000-08:00

Welcome to another Art Friday on my blog. I discovered Dante Gabriel Rossetti when I was blogging about Patrick Reynolds a couple of weeks ago. Reynolds considers himself a modern day Pre-Raphaelite. Rossetti co-founded the original Pre-Raphaelites, a group of English painters and poets who hoped to bring to their art the richness and purity of the medieval period.

However, when I looked at some of Rossetti's work, I couldn't help but think of that song lyric, "Dude looks like a lady," except in Rossetti's case, it's the opposite. These ladies look like dudes! (Right: "The Bower Meadow, 1872. Left: The Blue Bower) I mean, check out the shoulders on that chick in the background dancing. Seriously!

Anyway, have a great weekend.

Twelve days until the release of SECRETS OF THE JIN-HAKKU!

Thursday 3: Geek Gifts

2008-11-13T04:06:00.000-08:00

There's a popular meme called Thursday 13 in which every Thursday you make a list of thirteen things. I did this for a few months, but I don't have time for thirteen! So, I whittled it down to Thursday 3.

I love ThinkGeek.com and, for the past few years, bought stuff for my kids here for Christmas. Here are three items that I liked, but won't be buying. Fun stuff, though!!!

This first one is an action figure of the Alien. And get this! There's a little lever to make his teeth extend and retract! Isn't that hilarious?

Next is a training kit for your goldfish. If you click here, you can see an amazing video of a fish trained using this kit! I'd be tempted to try this, but I don't really want to have to take care of another pet.

Last is a goofy edamame keychain. You squeeze it and the little bean pops in and out. The middle bean has one of twelve random faces on it.

Pen #6: Stealth Writing

2008-11-12T06:37:00.000-08:00

This is the latest in a series of posts about pens. I'm a pen freak. I can't afford most of the pens I'll be blogging about, but a girl can dream, can't she?

Since I completely neglected to do something Veteran's Day related on the blog yesterday, I'm doing something today.

First, I offer my sincere gratitude to all those men and women who are or have served in the military. Your sacrifices, large and small, are deeply appreciated.

Today I'm featuring a pen that the hero of my work-in-progress might use himself. Here's some info about it from the Great Outdoors website.

The pen of choice for Special Forces, Navy Seals, Delta Forces, Airborne Rangers and more! Matte black so it won't reflect light, this action pen pen is the ultimate writing utility for adverse conditions. Integrated clip secures pen in pocket or on gear straps.

These pens write upside down, right side up, under water, over grease and on photographs. They were originally developed for use by the astronauts - It's the only pen that will work in the feezing cold, boiling heat, gravity free void of space.

This pen has a shelf life of A CENTURY. So far, it's the cheapest pen I've featured on the blog, going for a mere $12.99!

Two Choices #1

2008-11-11T04:13:00.000-08:00

Gone with the Wind or Sound of Music?

Tough choice for me. GWTW has the great costumes and Clark Gable. I was in love with Mr. Gable in my teen years. I read many biographies and thrilled that I lived only a mile away from where he used to live in the San Fernando Valley. But I didn't like the way the movie (or the book) ended. No one was happy. What a downer.

On the other hand, Sound of Music has that wonderful music. I so wanted to be Liesl when I was younger. She was beautiful, could sing, and lived on a beautiful estate. Too bad she had crappy taste in men.

Untimately, I have to choose The Sound of Music. What's your choice?

Quote: Enjoy your Food

2008-11-10T13:04:00.000-08:00

What some call health, if purchased by perpetual anxiety about diet, isn't much better than tedious disease.

--George Dennison Prentice

I think the media programs us to worry about diet more than we need to. Everything in moderation. That's what I believe. However, moderate portion size is something I constantly struggle with. How about you? What is your diet challenge?

Artist: Andrew McClenahan

2008-11-07T04:08:00.000-08:00

TGIAF! (Thank God It's Art Friday). A few weeks ago, I featured the art of Grant Wood (1891-1942) and said that one of his paintings, Young Corn (right), had a special significance for me. Today I'm revealing what that significance is!

Drum roll, please...

My very, very talented brother-in-law, Andrew McClenahan, has painted several murals, one of which is an homage to Young Corn. Isn't it gorgeous? The colors are so vivid. It's even more amazing because you can clearly see he painted right over a door!

Here are pictures of some of his other murals. I am in awe of his ability. The man could make some serious money illustrating children's books or painting murals in people's homes. Right now he's an art teacher at a private school, but that's a good fit for him too. He has a great rapport with kids.

It must be really cool to have hands that can do stuff like this. Enjoy these and enjoy your weekend!

Thursday 3: Gobble Gobble These

2008-11-06T04:49:00.000-08:00

There's a popular meme called Thursday 13 in which every Thursday you make a list of thirteen things. I did this for a few months, but I don't have time for thirteen! So, I whittled it down to Thursday 3.

Ah, it's November. Before you know it Thanksgiving will be here. Here are three yummy and cute alternatives to pumpkin pie.

This one has a tiny replica of a turkey dinner on it. You can even make these yourself. Here's the recipe!

This one looks more elegant. Here is that recipe.

Finally, here's a cute one. Grab that candy corn now while it's still in the stores. Here's the recipe for this one from Family Fun.

Pen #5: E = MC Squared

2008-11-05T04:35:00.000-08:00

This is the latest in a series of posts about pens. I'm a pen freak. I can't afford most of the pens I'll be blogging about, but a girl can dream, can't she?

I keep being surprised by the pens I find. This one is a tribute to Albert Einstein. Each pen has a unique single character from one of Einstein's authentic handwritten formulas on the cap and his signature is sculpted into the band at the base of the cap. There were only 288 of them made.

So, guess how much this puppy goes for! Go on. I dare ya. If you're curious, check it out here.

Caption Challenge

2008-11-04T04:08:00.000-08:00

I decided it was time to do Manly Thoughts. My friend Anna does it SO much better than I do, but I love her Man Meat Monday feature so much that I copy it shamelessly every once in a while. So, trolling for photos, I found this and came up with two captions that I liked, but then thought it might be fun to challenge you to come up with something funny. My ideas are in the comment section.

Goodbye Cookies

2008-11-03T13:08:00.001-08:00

Alas, bad news. Mother's Cookies are no more. They've closed their doors forever. When I was pregnant with my first baby, I used to eat their white chocolate chip cookies every night with milk, reasoning I was drinking milk so that made it okay. They haven't made those cookies in a while, but now they're not going to be making any cookies at all. I am sad. I will miss seeing those purple and pink packages on the shelves.

Did you like Mother's Cookies?

Liquid Silver Halloween winners

2008-11-02T11:46:00.000-08:00

I don't usually post on Sunday, but I wanted to announce the winners of the Liquid Silver Eye Candy Trick or Treating event.

The GRAND PRIZE WINNER of the whole thing was Dani K. I believe she's getting a book from each of the participating authors! Way to go, Dani K!

I also held a contest in which one lucky commenter would win any two of my books, and that person is icia! Congratulations!

So, what I need from you ladies is your email address and the format you'd like your e-book in. Dani K can choose one book. Icia, you get two!

Liquid Silver Eye Candy

2008-10-31T15:57:00.001-07:00

I'm a doofus. I forgot that I had signed up to participate in a Liquid Silver Halloween blog party! I'm (belatedly) participating in a round robin blog hopping party thing! I was supposed to post some eye candy in honor of the big Candy Holiday and then send you on to the next blogger.

Here's my eye candy picture. He seems to be saying, "Oh my, what's this I have in my pants?"

Or maybe he's saying, "Want some...candy, little girl?"

Anyone who comments will get a chance to win their choice of any two of my books. I'm going to give away two because I feel bad for doing this so late. :) You may want to wait for my next release, coming from Ellora's Cave on November 26. Here's a short blurb:

Erotic pleasure is so central to the Shinwa culture that one is considered uneducated if not well-versed in the Jin-Hakku, an ancient sexual reference. As a bonded triad, Kai, Joran and Hana have long enjoyed the carnal pleasures it describes.

However, infertility can be a death sentence and Hana has yet to conceive. Desperate, the men turn to an obscure volume of the Jin-Hakku. What they find is daunting—three nights of exquisite sexual “torture” that will test the limits of their stamina and self-control, but for Kai and Joran, failure is not an option.

Now, off with you. Go to the next Liquid Silver blogger, the fabulous Shara Lanel. You can win cool stuff!

Artist: Vicki Peterson

2008-10-31T05:47:00.000-07:00

It's Halloween tonight, so I'm featuring some themed art this Friday. These are block prints by Vicki Peterson of Torrance, California. I love block prints. There's something so raw and simple about them. And they're damned hard to do because you have to carve the image you want into the block, but in reverse. You have to carve away everything you don't want printed on the paper. My brain just doesn't work that way. This first one is called Cackling Witch, the second, Scratch Cat, the third, Skeleton Pirate.

May you get all the candy you like. (I'm hoping for my kids to come back with Butterfingers.)

Thursday 3: Research

2008-10-30T05:39:00.000-07:00

There's a popular meme called Thursday 13 in which every Thursday you make a list of thirteen things. I did this for a few months, but I don't have time for thirteen! So, I whittled it down to Thursday 3.

I am in the midst of writing the third book for my Ellora's Cave Be-Wished series, tentatively titled Asking For It. In the course of my writing, I typically research many many things. This Thursday I'm listing three sites that I saved in my favorites file for convenient access.

1. I needed to find out how much the yolk of a goose egg might be worth if it was made of gold, and here is one of the sites I referred to. The picture of the little bars provided some scale for me.

2. Here's a list of fairy tales that has come in handy.

3. Finally, my hero is a military guy and I found this site on Aviator Slang really interesting, even though I think that he isn't in the air force after all.

Pre-Buzz

2008-10-29T05:19:00.000-07:00

My Ellora's Cave editor, Suz, told me this morning that the final line editor (the person who does the final proofing of the manuscript) emailed her the following about Secrets of the Jin Hakku (and I quote!)

Please do me a favor, next time you "talk" to this author, could you let her know she has a brand-new fan? I absolutely LOVED this story!

The book has a fan and it's not even out yet! How cool is that? See that cloud up there? The ninth one? That's me on top of it. :D

Pen #4: Writing + Coffee = Love

2008-10-28T05:39:00.000-07:00

This is the latest in a series of posts about pens. I'm a pen freak. I can't afford most of the pens I'll be blogging about, but a girl can dream, can't she?

This hand-crafted pen was inspired by these Bialetti espresso pots. No lie! I love that and can totally see the resemblance.

They come in brushed chrome, Petrol blue, and pink. Both items, the espresso pot and the pen, are made in Italy. *sighs*

Still Smiling

2008-10-27T04:51:00.000-07:00

Last Thursday at literary agent Nathan Bransford's blog, M.J. Rose stated, "...more than 85% of all books sell less than 1000 copies."

Well, hot diggety. That makes my news here even better. :D You know, I think about what it would be like to see a list of the 1656 people who bought my book and it boggles my mind. That would be a pretty damn long list. *grins*

Artist: Patrick J. Reynolds

2008-10-24T04:17:00.000-07:00

Welcome to another Art Friday on my blog. Today I'm featuring the art of Patrick J. Reynolds. He is described as a 21st century Pre-Raphaelite. According to his website:

The Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, or PRB, was formed in 1848 when a group of young painters in Britain who wished to experiment with the Horatian principle of ut pictura poesis, meaning that painting and poetry are simply two different ways of expressing the same ideas.

He also describes his work as figurative romanticism. This first piece is called Eternal Embrace. I can see a whole story evolving from this image. It's so provocative. You can see so much emotion. You can almost feel it yourself.

He must have really liked this one because he sells it in oil, and as prints, and then he also made a sculpture out of it.

I happened to see that the original work sold for $22,000. Nice.

This second one is called The Other Side of Yesterday. This also makes me wonder about who this woman is and what her story is. Is she climbing the wall? Is she thinking about a lover? Is she waiting for one, anticipating the night to come?

Finally, we have a piece of his I couldn't find a name for. Again, their emotion is so stark. They're so entwined that even their hair is indistiguishable from the other's. The man is so intense, so protective. I wish I could see the rest of his face.

Anyway, I hope you liked this week's little gallery showing. Have a great weekend!

Thursday 3: Eat These

2008-10-23T07:26:00.000-07:00

I saw in National Geographic of all places, that there's going to be a new way to evaluate the food you eat and buy. Basically, they've analyzed the food for nutrients, vitamins, sugar, salt, and bunch of other factors that have to do with health and then given the foods a score from 1-100. It can't get easier than that. Supposedly, grocery stores are going to post these scores so you can be a more informed shopper.

I like this idea and I hope it actually comes to pass. Anyway, here are three foods that I like which scored 100.

1. Broccoli

2. Asparagus

3. Kiwi

There are no meats or seafood that scored 100, probably because of calorie count. Just, FYI, here are some other food scores I found interesting. Nonfat milk 91, oatmeal 88, white rice 57, pasta 50, skinless chicken breast 39, bagel 23, diet soda 15, milk chocolate 3 (OH, THE HORROR), soda 1.

Interesting, huh!

For more info, click here.

TOP SELLER!

2008-10-22T13:30:00.001-07:00

I just got word today from my Liquid Silver Books editor, Maria, that Hostile Takeover was the number one best seller for the third quarter of 2008. Hooray!!! 1656 copies sold so far. I'm not sure how that compares to other authors or other electronic publishing houses, but that's a nice quantity for me at LSB. :D

Doing the happy dance...

She Likes Me, She Really Likes Me!

2008-10-21T08:30:00.000-07:00

Ooh! This just in: a fantastic "5 bookmark" review from Jennifer Ray of Wild on Books. I can't help loving the woman because she loves my books. Here's part of what she said about Wolf...

This author has a knack for spinning romances that are both fun and sexy – a combination I am a complete fool for. Ms. Willoughby kept me giggling with the wit she infuses into each page of the book, obviously having as much fun with this story as her readers will. She manages to keep the story amusing, never silly, and yet infuses it with a great big dose of sex appeal.

There's more, but that's the good stuff. :D

Two Choices (Tag Game)

2008-10-20T11:33:00.000-07:00

Saw this on another blog. You post two choices of your choosing. Coke or Pepsi. Cats or Dogs. Marble or granite. Whatever. Then, you post your choice and tag someone to post their two choices on their blog.

So I ask you...Paris or Rome?

I'd choose Rome in a heartbeat. I haven't met an Italian food I didn't like. The language makes me want to melt. The people are so so friendly.

I tag Robin B. (And that reminds me she tagged me to do something a while ago...)

Artist: Hessam Abrishami

2008-10-17T05:18:00.000-07:00

Welcome to another Art Friday. Today I'm featuring the work of Hessam Abrishami. He has a loose style that really appeals to me and I love the romance that he portrays. After looking over everything on his website, this was my favorite piece - Closer Hearts. I see what seems to be a bed in the background, but these two lovers couldn't seem to wait. They're coupling right there on the floor. Nice.

He also likes to incorporate a motif of wine glasses and musical instruments. Here's Sweet Afternoon. Again, the couple is on the floor. For some odd reason, it makes me feel like I'm more intimate with them, seeing them when they're truly being themselves.

Abrishami lives in Los Angeles. Here he is in his studio. I live in LA too but I don't have a studio. :(

Ah well, have a great weekend!

Thursday 3: Crackers Are Okay

2008-10-16T04:50:00.000-07:00

There's a popular meme called Thursday 13 in which every Thursday you make a list of thirteen things. I did this for a few months, but I don't have time for thirteen! So, I whittled it down to Thursday 3.

I would not kick this guy out of bed for eating crackers, no sirree.

I'm currently writing the third book in my Be-Wished series, tentatively titled ASKING FOR IT. The hero is a soldier, but I haven't decided which branch of the military yet. This hunk obviously swims, so I'm thinking maybe Navy.

I'm also thinking...

1) ...maybe this guy uses that knife to take out the bad guy who has captured me, but the bad guy is no match for my good guy. Afterward he cuts the ropes that bound my wrists together. Because I'm way to shaky from my experience to walk, he carries me to safety, barechested, of course. (Him, not me. LOL)

2) ...or maybe I'm a Lara Croft type gal and we're just completed a mission together. We've been fighting the attraction to each other for a long time, but I can see in his eyes, he can't take it anymore...

3) ...or, I was being held on a boat of some kind, and there's a helicopter dropping a harness down to me. Looking into my eyes, he straps me in with words of encouragement. Promises to see me in the helo. And of course, he's a man of his word.

Heh heh. Thank you God for giving me my imagination. It's my favorite toy.

Quote: Me All Over

2008-10-15T05:37:00.000-07:00

Anyone who works is a fool. I don't work - I merely inflict myself upon the public.

--Robert Morley

This is me! Three examples: my blog, my books, and my job at Starbucks. LMAO

Pen #3: The Feel of Leathah

2008-10-14T05:41:00.000-07:00

This is the latest in a series of posts about pens. I'm a pen freak. I can't afford most of the pens I'll be blogging about, but a girl can dream, can't she?

I love the bullet shape of this ballpoint and even more so the fact that it has leather on the sides. Can't you just feel it in your hand?

This goes for $50. You can buy it here.

5 Bookmarks!

2008-10-13T05:00:00.000-07:00

Every once in a while I Google my name and look what I found! An outstanding "five bookmark" review by Jennifer Ray of Wild on Books.

I absolutely LOVED this book! Kate Willoughby left me utterly delighted with her whimsical tale of love and magic...

Mariah was just adorable. Sweet and guileless, it was no surprise to see Tucker fall completely in love with her.

Likewise, it was just as easy to understand why Mariah has never been able to stop thinking of Tucker since that one night they spent together years before. He is kind, fun, and thoughtful – and still as sexy as a man can get.

I can’t tell you how happy I am that this is only the first book in a series. I will be first in line when the next magical story in Willoughby’s Be-Wished series comes out!

You can read the whole review here, but that's the good stuff. She's already got a copy of A Wolf at Her Door and I can't wait to see what she thinks of it.

Feeling Lazy

2008-10-10T13:03:00.000-07:00

Friday is usually the day I feature art, but it's already one in the afternoon and I'm just kinda tired.

So, here's a little pic that brought a smile to my face. Hope it brings one to yours, too.

Have a fun weekend.

Thursday 3: Photographic Packratness

2008-10-09T04:14:00.000-07:00

There's a popular meme called Thursday 13 in which every Thursday you make a list of thirteen things. I did this for a few months, but I don't have time for thirteen! So, I whittled it down to Thursday 3.

Okay, so Packratness isn't a word. I'm a writer and I make sh*t up. Sue me.

I blog Monday through Thursday. I almost always post a picture because I think they make the posts more interesting. (Lord knows my posts probably need it.) Anyway, the file where I keep the photos can sometimes get crowded, so I often go through and clean it out.

However, there are a few photos that I just can't seem to get rid of. So this week my Thursday 3 is three pix I can't seem to live without.

This is Clive Owen. 'Nuff said.

Getting rid of this picture feels like actively rejecting the romance that it captures. Nope. Can't do it.

And this one needs no explanation. I dare any red-blooded woman to delete this photograph from her hard disk. It can't be done.

If you're a blogger, do you have a secret stash of must keep photos in your file? If you're not a blogger, I know there's probably something in your closet that manages to survive periodic reorganization efforts. What is it?

Quote: On How Life's a B*tch

2008-10-08T07:57:00.000-07:00

He felt that his whole life was some kind of dream and he sometimes wondered whose it was and whether they were enjoying it.

--Douglas Adams, "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy"

Ever feel this way?

Pen #2: The King

2008-10-07T06:50:00.000-07:00

This is the latest in a series of posts about pens. I'm a pen freak. I can't afford most of the pens I'll be blogging about, but a girl can dream, can't she?

So, isn't this pen a crack up? Doesn't it make you want to put on "Hounddog" and dance around?

You can buy the rollerball ($90) or fountain pen ($120) here.

My hubby and I danced our "first dance" to "I Can't Help Falling in Love With You," by the King. What's your favorite Elvis song?

A New Obsession

2008-10-06T04:46:00.000-07:00

I've often mentioned here on the blog that I love pens. I don't even need a good excuse to buy a new pen. However, I'm worried now that this little weakness of mine has expanded to another item that is even less necessary than a pen.

The paintbrush.

As I mentioned a few days ago, I have enrolled in a painting class. There is, of course, a supply list. *evil laugh* In college when I was getting my BA in graphic design, the best part was when they handed out that delightful list of supplies needed. Oh, the joy. I got to go shopping! And it was Justified Shopping! I needed these supplies for the betterment of my mind, body, and soul. My very education depended on buying these supplies.

It occurs to me now that the satisfaction I feel when I buy office supplies is rooted in my early love of school. Must think more on this.

Anyway, I got the list of supplies for this painting class which starts on Monday. When some of them arrived in the mail the other day, I was practically drooling. And when I opened up the paintbrushes... Oh, my. There is one in particular that is just plain sexy. It's a 3/4 inch rounded brush, aptly named BLACK GOLD. The bristles are sinfully soft. The ends are dark, but the color lightens gradually to a cafe au lait hue near the ferrule (the metal part that holds the hairs together.) It's beautiful to look at, and a pleasure to brush against the skin. It's enough to make me jealous of the canvas I'll be painting on.

There's another one made by Loew-Cornell, an 18/0 very very fine brush. I might be using it to paint individual eyelashes--it's that fine! However, the handle is unusually fat, which makes it fun to hold, so I can't wait to use that one either.

Do you have an item that you can't seem to resist buying? Something that probably triggers some deep-seated need inside you that was likely established in childhood but that would need years of psychotherapy to discover? What is it??? Tell, tell, tell! Is it shoes? Books? Matches and gasoline? (Just kidding.)

The First Sparkle of the Topaz!

2008-10-03T04:50:00.000-07:00

Here's the cover for my next release!!! Squeeeee!!

I'm currently in the last round of edits for this Topaz themed novella, due out in November and I'm really excited. It's the first time I've ever created an entire world.

In All In and A Wolf at Her Door (the Be-Wished series) there's a fairy world that I made up, but it co-exists with our world, so it feels more like a half-world. And within Wolf, there's the werewolf shifter sub-culture, but again, it had to jive with Earth and us pitiful, non-paranormal humans.

But in Secrets of the Jin-Hakku, everything's new. I was God. It was so cool.

Anyway, I digress. The real subject of this post was supposed to be the rockin' cover. View it. Admire it. Allow the subliminal message to fully enter your brain. (BUY IT IN NOVEMBER...BUY IT IN NOVEMBER...)

P.S. I need to apologize for hijacking my own blog. I was supposed to post about why Grant Wood's painting "Young Corn" has significance for me, but the arrival of my new cover disrupted the plan.

SILENCE

2008-10-01T14:10:00.000-07:00

I'm in deep deadline doo-doo.

Can't blog.

Forgive me!

And the Book Goes To...

2008-09-30T14:10:00.000-07:00

For every time you commented on the blog last week, I put your name on a piece of paper, so the more often you commented, the better your chances.

Without further ado, the winner is MsValerie! Congrats, chick! Gimme your email address and I'll send you an e-copy of A Wolf at Her Door. (Do you prefer and Adobe file or do you have Microsoft Reader? MS Reader is a free program you can download here.)

Thanks so much to the other commenters. I really loved seeing you here last week. Don't be strangers! ;)

Oh, and the item that Paige puts on to drive Adam nuts is a pair of satin gloves. :)

A WOLF AT HER DOOR: Artist unkown

2008-09-26T05:14:00.000-07:00

I had copied this picture into my hard drive some time ago for a blog about its artist. I have since lost the name of the artist, which truly pains me. I don't like posting art without giving credit to the person who created it, but I figure some exposure is better than none. (If you are the artist, please contact me and I'll be glad to give you credit and post a link to more of your work.)

Anyway, I thought this image was perfect for A WOLF AT HER DOOR week and Art Friday. This wolf is different from Adam in that he has his wolf head, but the rest of him is human. When Adam changes, he goes completely "to the dogs." Heh heh. Yet, this wolf is slighly dangerous, but clearly possessive. Yeah, baby, that's Adam all over.

Okay, she's obviously Little Red Riding Hood, but work with me here. In my book, Paige never wears a hooded cape, but she does put on one little item that Adam requests she wear especially for him. This item, something women rarely wear anymore, turns him on in a big way.

What do you think this item is?

(Every comment made this week gets you a chance to win a free copy of Wolf. Winner to be announced 9/29.)

A WOLF AT HER DOOR: The Cutting Room Floor

2008-09-25T04:00:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Day 4 of A Wolf at Her Door Week on my blog! Every Thursday I do a Thursday 3 list (which is an abbreviated version of the Thursday 13 meme), so today I'm going to list three ideas that never made it into A Wolf at Her Door.

1. I wanted my shapeshifter "world" to be a little different from everyone else's. One of the things I thought of was, besides the full moon, to have extreme danger also provoke my hero into changing into wolf form. This way, when he and Paige were threatened by a mountain lion or pack of real wolves, he could defend her. This was way back when I had planned to make the conflict between them be more about her disbelief that he was a werewolf. I envisioned Paige to be so shocked to see him change that it freaked her out. But then I decided that was a little wimpy. If she was willing to throw away a future with Adam because of that, she didn't deserve him.

2. Another climactic scene I had considered was one involving the rest of Adam's family. I toyed with the idea that they were not amenable to accepting a human woman as part of "the pack," and that when Paige went to his family home/ranch/whatever, to find him (after wimpily freaking out and declaring she couldn't be with him) the family would all be in wolf form and surround her, growling. Of course, Adam would arrive and set them all straight. (My critique partners joked that in that scene he should say to them something along the lines of, "Do you even know who the hell that is? That's my bitch." LMAO.)

3. I also thought maybe mixed marriages were allowed, but had to be sanctioned by a Shifter Council. Maybe you had to get a special license, like those Regency couples who dashed off to Gretna Green. (Or was that outright elopement?) Anyway, that got nixxed, too.

So, question: if you fell in love with a man and found out he was a wolf a few days out of the month and you would have to live a double life, keeping that a secret forever, would you do it?

(All comments this week get you a chance to win a free copy of Wolf. Winner to be announced 9/29.)

A WOLF AT HER DOOR: And the Answer Is...

2008-09-24T04:29:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Day 3 of A Wolf at Her Door Week at my blog. Today is the big day! You can actually go buy it!!! Of course, I know some of you will be waiting until next Monday, because that's the day I'm going to pick the winner of the free copy. But that's okay. I'm guilty of the same money-saving strategy, too! The cost of the book is a little more than a gallon of gas these days, but I promise you that you'll have a heck of a lot more fun reading my book than you will driving 25 miles anywhere (your mileage will vary.)

As promised, here are the answers to yesterday's shapeshifter trivia quiz.

1. Today, some people truly believe that they are humans with the souls of animals. What do such people call their belief system? Answer: B. Spiritual therianthropy.

2. In 1992, a poll of Russians found that ____________ of respondents believed that werewolves existed. Answer: D. 80 percent

The werewolf story has long been a staple tale of Russia, where wolves were (and still are, in many places) plentiful.

3. In Celtic folklore, men were often seduced by the selkies, beautiful women who were really... Answer: B. Seals

The selkie turned into a woman by removing her sealskin. If a man stole the skin, the selkie could not transform.

4. In the Amazon, one hears legends of the 'boto', which can transform into a young boy or a handsome man. In animal form, the boto is a... Answer: D. Dolphin

In the Amazon, a dolphin called the 'pink dolphin' can be found. Legends about this creature abound.

5. In Japan, many legends tell of the kitsune, who often appeared in the form of a beautiful woman. The kitsune was a .... Answer: C. Werefox

The kitsune often had many tails. The more tails she had, the older and wiser she was.

6. What is the psychological term for a person who thinks that he is a wolf? A. Lycanthrope

From 'lycos'- wolf and 'anthropos'-man.

7. From what material were werewolf-slaying instruments supposed to be fashioned? Answer: A. Silver

Silver probably got this reputation because of its supposed purity and association with the moon.

8. Quite a few physical signs were taken to be indications that one was a werewolf. Which of the following was NOT a sign that one harbored 'the animal within'? Answer: D. Eyes that relfect red light in the dark

Other signs are an unusually long third finger, tattoos in the shape of a crescent moon, an uncut, clawlike left thumbnail, and tiredness in the morning.

9. One of the common beliefs about werewolves is that if you are bitten by one, you will also become a werewolf. What disease is responsible for this belief? Answer: Rabies

Rabid wolves often foam at the mouth and bite whatever crosses their path. After the bite, a human who contracts rabies may exhibit the same behavior.

10. What do you call a werewolf from the southern United States? Answer: B. Loup garou

There are many Cajun legends and songs about the 'loup garou', which is often said to resemble a rabid dog.

So, how'd you do? (Every comment this week enters you to win a free copy of Wolf, the winner to be announced 9/29.)

A WOLF AT HER DOOR: Test Your Knowledge

2008-09-23T05:00:00.002-07:00

Welcome to Day 2 of A Wolf at Her Door Week on my blog. Today I'm presenting a fun quiz to see how much you know about werewolves and other shifters. Answers will be posted tomorrow.

1. Today, some people truly believe that they are humans with the souls of animals. What do such people call their belief system?

A. Lycanthropy
B. Spiritual therianthropy
C. Lycanthrophilia
D. Werephilia

2. In 1992, a poll of Russians found that ____________ of respondents believed that werewolves existed.

A. 10 percent
B. 35 percent
C. 50 percent
D. 80 percent

3. In Celtic folklore, men were often seduced by the selkies, beautiful women who were really...

A. Horses
B. Seals
C. Deer
D. Swans

4. In the Amazon, one hears legends of the 'boto', which can transform into a young boy or a handsome man. In animal form, the boto is a...

A. Jaguar
B. Maned wolf
C. Cougar
D. Dolphin

5. In Japan, many legends tell of the kitsune, who often appeared in the form of a beautiful woman. The kitsune was a ....

A. Wereswan
B. Werecat
C. Werefox
D. Werebadger

6. What is the psychological term for a person who thinks that he is a wolf?

A. Lycanthrope
B. Zooanththrope
C. Lupine
D. Anthrolobos

7. From what material were werewolf-slaying instruments supposed to be fashioned?

A. Silver
B. Platinum
C. Gold
D. Tin

8. Quite a few physical signs were taken to be indications that one was a werewolf. Which of the following was NOT a sign that one harbored 'the animal within'?

A. Eyebrows that meet over the bridge of the nose
B. Sleeping with your mouth open
C. Excessive body hair
D. Eyes that relfect red light in the dark

9. One of the common beliefs about werewolves is that if you are bitten by one, you will also become a werewolf. What disease is responsible for this belief?

10. What do you call a werewolf from the southern United States?
A. Alabama wolf
B. Loup garou
C. Wendigo
D. Shapeshifter

How do you feel you did on the quiz? Have you ever even read a werewolf book before? Just wonderin'. :)

(Every comment made this week gets you a chance to win a free copy of Wolf. Winner to be announced 9/29.)

A WOLF AT HER DOOR: Bring On the Sex!

2008-09-22T05:00:00.000-07:00

Whenever I have a new release, I dedicate an entire week to that book and A Wolf at Her Door, the second book in the Be-Wished series, is coming out on Wednesday!

Here's a blurb:

In this second book of the Be-Wished series, Paige gets her wish – a hot night with a sexy alpha male werewolf—and Adam more than fits the bill. But with the quirky wish fairy Davina in charge of the magic, something’s bound to go wrong.

If you haven't read the first Be-Wished book, no worries. While I personally prefer to read series books in sequence, you should not have a problem understanding this book at all if you haven't read All In.

Oh wait. Forget I said that. You should DEFINITELY buy All In (the first Be-Wished book) AND A Wolf at Her Door. Yeah. That's it. Buy them both. :D Buy Hostile Takeover, while you're at it. Heh heh.

Okay, back to the reason we're here today-- A Wolf at Her Door.

I always get a kick out of analyzing the amount of sex that occurs in my various books. Here are the Sex Stats for Wolf.

Number of Sex Scenes: 5

Shortest Sex Scene: 1602 words

Longest Sex Scene: 3801 words

Sex Percentage: 31%

Wow. It's one third sex! I think that's the largest percentage I've ever had. And yet, don't think that it's just a bunch of mindless bonking. It's not. This story got much more serious than Book One of the Be-Wished Series, All In. So perhaps I should describe this as bonking...with heart. LMAO.

Regarding sex scenes, do you prefer them from the female or male point of view? Or does it matter?

(Everyone who comments this week will get a chance to win a free copy of the book. The winner will be announced 9/29.)

Artist: Grant Wood (1891-1942)

2008-09-19T04:00:00.000-07:00

Welcome to another Art Friday at my blog. Once a week I devote a post to art in some way, shape, or form. Most often, I showcase a work of art or an artist. Sometimes, I call attention to a museum or product that is art-related.

Today I'm featuring the work of American painter, Grant Wood, the creator of this iconic image, American Gothic (1930.)

In 1930, he noticed a small white house built in Carpenter Gothic architecture in Eldon, Iowa. Wood decided to paint the house along with "the kind of people I fancied should live in that house. He recruited his sister Nan to model the woman, dressing her in a colonial print apron mimicking 19th century Americana. The man is modeled on Wood's dentist, Dr. Byron McKeeby. Each element was painted separately; the models sat separately and never stood in front of the house.

Wood entered the painting in a competition at the Art Institute of Chicago. The judges deemed it a "comic valentine," but a museum patron convinced them to award the painting the bronze medal and $300 cash prize. The patron also convinced the Institute to buy the painting, where it remains today. The image soon began to be reproduced in newspapers, however, Wood received a backlash when the image finally appeared in the Cedar Rapids Gazette. Iowans were furious at their depiction as "pinched, grim-faced, puritanical Bible-thumpers". One farmwife threatened to bite Wood's ear off. Wood protested that he had not painted a caricature of Iowans but a depiction of Americans. Nan, apparently embarrassed at being depicted as the wife of someone twice her age, began telling people that the painting was of a man and his daughter, a point on which Wood remained silent. (Snipped from Wikipedia)

Now, I don't really care for American Gothic that much. I much prefer his landscapes, such as this one, called Near Sundown (1933). Or the one below it, Haying (1939). I just love the puffy trees. They are so lyrical and otherworldly. And the tiny convoy in the distance...I wonder who is travelling and where they're going.

This one, Young Corn (1931), has a special significance to me personally, but I'll hit on that a week from next Friday. Again, those trees are just so fun to look at, and while that may be corn, I don't notice it as much as that hill. I look at that and I can't help but think that the Earth is pregnant. I want to just rub that swollen belly.

If you'd like to see more of Wood's work, go to this wonderful page called Going Back to Iowa: The World of Grant Wood.

Or this one, The Grant Wood Art Gallery.

Thursday 3: Seen It (A Lot)

2008-09-18T04:31:00.000-07:00

I think almost everyone likes to watch movies. Some of us even like watching them more than once. My kids have seen the Simpson's Movie I-don't-want-to-know how many times.

Here are some of my oft-watched favorites. Some of these made the list when I was a teen with a lot more free time and disposable income.

Star Wars (the original with Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill, and Carrie Fisher)

Grease (NOT NOT NOT the sequel)

The Sound of Music

Romancing the Stone

Pretty Woman

Shakespeare in Love

Emma (Gwenyth Paltrow)

Raiders of the Lost Ark

The Ten Commandments (the first half)

What movies have you watched over and over?

An Encounter of the Hirsute Kind

2008-09-17T08:21:00.000-07:00

The hero of my new release, A Wolf at Her Door, is a werewolf shapeshifter. So, once a month, he goes furry. He gets a tail. He lopes around the wilderness on four legs.

However, when he's in human form, most of the time, he's a normal guy. But last night I got my copies of the published book and was happily reading it with a goofy smile on my face. (Trying to concentrate despite the fact that the rest of the family was watching FRINGE really loudly.) And what do I find? A MISTAKE. Good Lord. My editor and I combed through this sucker many times, but apparently we should have checked it one more time because this gem of a sentence appeared:

The hair on his hairs stood on end...

My first reaction was angry despair, but that was only for a moment. Soon after I was chuckling. The mistake is so silly I can only hope my readers will recognize that and laugh. I like to think of myself as pragmatic, and pragmatically there's nothing I can do about this. So, why waste the energy being upset? In fact, maybe I can turn this into a contest. "Fine the glaring error in Chapter Whatever and win a prize."

Anyway, the point is, my guy is a wolf shifter, but he does NOT have hair on his hairs. *snorts*

But this is a minor glitch in comparision to what my friend RG Alexander is going through with Hurricane Ike. Her book is being released today and she has no internet with which to promote it. So, a few of us are helping her out. Here's the cover. Here's a short blurb:

Twins Hawk and Val are Fianna warriors under the vengeful curse of a scorned goddess. Following the prophecy in the Book of Veils, they search for the one who can help them retrieve the Claíomh Solais before their enemies get the chance. Their quest leads them to Linnea. One touch and there can be no doubt that they have found their match. But will she accept them once she knows the truth?

Since I just finished writing a menage tale, I'm extra-curious to see how others handled it. I hope you give RG a try. (Or even a buy!) :D

Recipe: PB&J Bar Cookies

2008-09-16T04:55:00.000-07:00

I love peanut butter and jelly. It's one of the world's best pairings. So, here it is in a bar cookie!

Preheat oven to 350. Line 9" square baking pan with enough foil to overhang sides by 2", coat with cooking spray. In large bowl, mix

1 PACKAGE (17.5 OZ) OATMEAL COOKIE MIX
1/2 CUP BUTTER (ROOM TEMPERATURE)
1 EGG
1/2 CUP CREAMY PEANUT BUTTER
1 TBS. WATER

until large crumbs form. Reserve 1 1/2 cups crumbs. Press remainder into pan. Spread 2/3 cup LOW-SUGAR RASPBERRY PRESERVES over crust. Mix 1/3 CUP LIGHTLY SALTED COCKTAIL PEANUTS, COARSELY CHOPPED into reserved crumbs. Sprinkle over preserves. Bake 30 minutes or until golden. Cool in pan on rack. Makes 16 bars.

Pen: Frank Lloyd Wright

2008-09-15T05:00:00.000-07:00

I can't believe I never thought of this before, but it's true. I am a pen freak. I blog. Why not blog about pens? DUH!!!

Here is a pen I would love to own. It's design was inspired by the famous Frank Lloyd Wright. He designed a triptych window for the Avery Coonley Playhouse in Riverside, Illinois in 1912.

You can buy it here for a mere $62.

Art Books for Kids

2008-09-12T05:00:00.000-07:00

Welcome to another Art Friday at my blog. Today I thought I'd share some very cool books I discovered in Real Simple Family magazine. They're published by Sterling Publishing. They're touchable art books. Remember Pat the Bunny? The book that let you pet the bunny's fur and feel Daddy's scratchy cheek? Well, these books are along those lines.

I thought they were pretty neato. They run for about $10 a piece and they're board books.

The various titles are Pop Warhol's Top, Make Van Gogh's Bed, Comb Mona Lisa's Hair, Feed Matisse's Fish, all by Julie Appel and Amy Guglielmo.

My kids are too old for this type of thing, but if you're an art lover and you have toddlers, you might want to check these out. :)

Thursday 3: Be Trilingual!

2008-09-11T05:00:00.000-07:00

There's a popular meme called Thursday 13 in which every Thursday you make a list of thirteen things. I did this for a few months, but I don't have time for thirteen! So, I whittled it down to Thursday 3.

Hasn't everyone at one time or another wanted to be able to say PEEKABOO in another language? Come on, don't be shy. You know you have! LOL

Well, here's your chance to learn.

Dutch: kiekeboe
Swahili: kificho-ficho
Greek: koukou-tzaa

Now, grab a baby and practice your newfound skill!

Question: Whatcha Plannin'?

2008-09-10T05:46:00.000-07:00

Tonight I’m looking forward to _____, tomorrow my plans include _____ and Saturday, I want to _____!

My answer: Tonight I'm looking forward to watching the movie Juno with my husband. Tomorrow my plans include working an eight hour shift at work and being exhausted.
Saturday I want to have a fantastic time at our cousin's son's bar mitzvah.

Recipe: Pasta Salad with Red Pepper Pesto

2008-09-09T07:40:00.000-07:00

I made this recently for a going away party. It went well with the pizza, but not so great with the chips and salsa. LOL.

Anyway, it's from Rachael Ray, one of my favorite TV cooks. When I make this again, I'll omit the green peppers, because I don't really like them. I think olives might be a good substitute.

Pasta Salad with Red Pepper Pesto

Red Pepper Pesto
1 cup drained, packed roasted red peppers
2 small cloves garlic (I always put more garlic than a recipe asks for)
3 oz. pine nuts
1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley (a couple of handfuls)
salt and pepper
1/3 cup grated Parmesan
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil (eyeball it)

Salad
1 pound whatever pasta you want (I used fusilli, the corkscrew kind)
1 cup drained marinated mushrooms, sliced
1/4 cup Italian hot pepper rings, drained and chopped
1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1/2 large red onion, chopped

Place a large pot of water on to boil for pasta.

Combine roasted peppers, garlic, pine nuts, parsley, salt and pepper and cheese in a food processor. Turn the processor on and stream in the extra-virgin olive oil until a thick pasty sauce forms. Adust seasoning and transfer sauce to a large bowl.

Add salt to boiling water and cook pasta to al dente firmness (firm to the bite.) Drain and cool under running cold water to stop the cooking process. Add cooked, cooled pasta to the pesto sauce. Add remaining ingredients to the bowl and toss to coat. Adjust salt and pepper to your taste and serve or chill up to 48 hours.

Coming Soon!

2008-09-08T05:00:00.000-07:00

*SQUEE* A Wolf at Her Door is on the Coming Soon page at Ellora's Cave. The countdown has begun!

Painting Faces

2008-09-05T05:00:00.000-07:00

I'm taking a painting class! You might remember Paulette Insall's work from a post a couple of weeks ago. (Here's her painting "Blessings Abound".) Well, I found out she teaches painting and although I never really thought of myself as a painter, I signed up.

Back in the early eighties, I got a C in my college painting class and have been convinced I stank at it since then. However, a couple of years ago the PTA needed someone to paint a backdrop for photos at their Family Hoedown. I downloaded a picture of the desert with some dramatic red rocks in the background, armed myself with tempera paint and brushes, and attacked a double wide piece of white butcher paper--the kind they use to back bulletin boards. The result came out much much better than I expected. So, maybe I am a painter. :) If I'm not, I will be soon. Maybe I'll even post my paintings.

Thursday 13: Coming Up

2008-09-04T08:07:00.000-07:00

There's a popular meme called Thursday 13 in which every Thursday you make a list of thirteen things. I did this for a few months, but I don't have time for thirteen! So, I whittled it down to Thursday 3.

I'm super tired again. So, I'm posting a little lazily. Here are three things coming up that I'm looking forward to:

1. My grandmother (94 yrs. old) likes to treat us all to dim sum once in a while. Dim sum is a parade of small servings of Chinese food. There are not too many restaurants that offer it, but there is a good one in Northridge, CA, which is where we go. The staff push these steam carts around that are filled with food, and you choose which ones you want. There is no menu.

2. My husband's cousin's son is going to be a bar mitzvah. He's such a terrific kid. I haven't been to a bar mitzvah since I was thirteen myself.

3. My book, A Wolf at Her Door, is coming out on September 24. I can't WAIT. I really love this story and it's the second book in my very first series ever.

Another Author I Love-Hate

2008-09-03T17:07:00.000-07:00

Stephenie Meyer. Dude, I read her book, The Host, and loved it. Tore through it. Stayed up until 2:30 a.m. one night trying to finish, finally turned out the light, and then first thing the next morning, picked it up and didn't get out of bed until I was DONE.

She's that good.

This is one of the best books I've read all year. I so hate her. I so love her. If you're a reader who also writes, you know the feeling.

Recommendation: The Perfect Gift

2008-09-02T10:33:00.000-07:00

I'm tired and I want to go to bed, so this is a drive-by blog post.

I love getting gift cards. I love giving them too. Here's a site where you can give someone a card and they get to choose the vendor! Gifts.com

Rest in Peace, Monster

2008-09-01T04:51:00.000-07:00

After four years of swimming and eating, our faithful betta fish, Monster, has died. It's a good thing he was so beautiful when he was alive, because that sort of makes up for the fact that he smelled utterly vile when was floating lifeless in his bowl yesterday. This fish looks like him, except Monster didn't have a black head. We still have the other betta fish, unnamed. He might be happy that Monster's gone, because now he can have the bigger bowl.

There were no services. Only a hurried, nose-pinching trip to the garbage can outside.

Artist: Chen Rong

2008-08-29T05:48:00.000-07:00

I am currently finishing a novella for Ellora's Cave called Secrets of the Jin Hakku. It is set in the world of the Shinwa people, an Asian influenced culture I created. This was the first world I've ever "built," and I had a fantastic time. Hence, I wanted to share some Chinese art today.

This is one of the dragons from "The Nine Dragons" handscroll, painted by the Song Dynasty Chinese artist Chen Rong in the year 1244 AD.

Chinese dragons are mythical creatures, and although they're occasionally depicted with wings, they fly because of a supernatural power, not because they have wings. Another ability they possess is being able to disguise themselves. They can be as small as a beetle or as large as the galaxy. According to Shuowen Jiezi, they can "form clouds, can turn into water or fire, can become invisible or glow in the dark." Obviously, this dragon is in the process of changing his form.

Strangely, the number of claws the dragon had was extremly important. If it had three, it was an ordinary dragon and appropriate for the common people. A four clawed dragon could be associated with nobility and high ranking officials. However, the five clawed dragon was for the exclusive use of the Imperial family. (Proper colors of the dragon was also important.) If you displayed the wrong number of claws on your dragon teapot for example, you and your entire clan could be executed.

Ha! Betcha didn't know that. :) Never say I didn't teach you anything.

Have a fantastic weekend. Maybe spend it painting a dragon with five claws just because you can.

Thursday 3: If I could move...

2008-08-28T04:29:00.000-07:00

There's a popular meme called Thursday 13 in which every Thursday you make a list of thirteen things. I did this for a few months, but I don't have time for thirteen! So, I whittled it down to Thursday 3.

I don't think DH and I will ever move from Los Angeles. He's a financial planner and so it's important that he live in the vicinity of his clients. Also, so much of our family lives here. However, I've often fantasized about living in some other state. So, this week I'm presenting three places I'd consider moving to if the opportunity ever arose. Like, say I won the lottery. Yeah! That's even better. Here are three places I'd have a vacation home.

1. Kauai - Mr. T and I honeymooned here and have since returned with the kids. It's gorgeous and Mr. T loves the beach. I'm not so sure about the beach, but would sure enjoy seeing so much green everyday. I'd want a big house so we could entertain guests who would surely want to come visit.

2. Charleston, North Carolina - On the other hand, I have never been to Charleston in my life. I once researched the town way back when when I was writing my very first romance novel, a time-travel set in the days before the Civil War. Will Hawthorne was a plantation owner who was leading a secret life--that of a willing participant in the Underground Railroad. But I digress (as I often do!) As I was researching it, I discovered how much beautiful history it has and how much the inhabitants value that history, unlike we Los Angelians, who in a misguided attempt to separate church and state actually altered the city seal by removing the cross on it despite the fact that--oh wait. I'm digressing again. In a big way. LOL Okay, let's just say, I'd consider replanting myself on the East Coast.

3. Aspen, Colorado - Finally, Mr. T loves the snow. I love the way it looks. I love being inside when it's outside. And it wouldn't be snowy all year long. Maybe I could deal. Maybe not.

Question: Waste of paper?

2008-08-27T05:11:00.000-07:00

My son is selling magazine subscriptions as part of his junior high school fundraiser. I am letting some of my subscriptions lapse:

Martha Stewart's Living - I've subscribed to this for many years, mainly because it's a beautiful, beautiful magazine. But I've come to the reluctant conclusion that, even though I cut out many of the recipes, it's not that valuable to me since I don't really entertain or garden on the same level as Martha does.

Woman's Day - This isn't a bad magazine, however, I just can't stand how thin the pages are. How ridiculous is that? It bugs me so much that I am willing to forgo the entire magazine.

So, what to order???

I don't want is fashion and beauty suggestions that are WAY too expensive. I used to subscribe to In Style, but it was too Hollywood oriented, and I didn't recognize half the celebs in it.

I want articles that apply to women who aren't trying to snag men with sex tricks and who aren't size zero. I like recipes. I obviously like pages that aren't like tissue. LOL.

Do you have any suggestions? What magazines do you subscribe to, if any?

I'm considering Everyday with Rachel Ray, Marie Claire, and Lucky. Suggestions, recommendations?

Question: Taking on Two

2008-08-26T06:09:00.000-07:00

Menages have been on my mind of late. The third heroine in my Be-Wished series wishes for a dynamic duo of the male persuasion. The novella I'm finishing for EC right now is about a triad.

So, actually I have two questions.

1. Do you like reading about menages? Why?

2. If you had the opportunity to engage in one (without consequences), would you?

Forget Cookies. Give Me Coffee!

2008-08-25T04:02:00.000-07:00

Someone gave me this as an avatar on Romance Divas, an online romance writing group I belong to, and I crack up every time I see it. It's particularly appropriate for me because I work at Starbucks. And everyone knows that Starbucks coffee IS a little on the dark side!

Artist: Nathan Sawaya

2008-08-22T11:50:00.000-07:00

My kids love Legos. They always have and probably always will. Imagine my delight when I found this guy, Nathan Sawaya, who creates art out of Lego bricks! Here he is in his New York studio, where he has over 1.5 million bricks. You can see them in bins in this picture.

Some of his art is on tour across the country. You can get information about the show "The Art of the Brick" here.

Here is a sculpture called Pluto, the Black Cat (2006). On his website he's posted this: Ways that I am like a cat: - We both like to drink milk.- We both like to eat fish.- We both like to sleep a lot.- We both do our best work at night.- We both believe that licking our body hair is a sufficient way to cleanse oneself.- We both hate leashes. (Not exactly true for me.)- We both drive poorly."

This next piece is titled Yellow (2006) I don't have anything to say about it except that it's cool. Some art aficionado I am!

This is the Iwo Jima Replica (2006) which was commissioned for permanent installation at the National Museum of the Marine Corps in Quantico, Virginia. The sculpture used over 100,000 LEGO bricks.

So ends another Art Friday at Kate's Blog. Have a fantastic weekend!

Thursday 3: Lettuce Wraps

2008-08-21T04:36:00.000-07:00

I love lettuce wraps. I'm Chinese, so maybe it's in my genes. Anyway, today I thought I'd list three of the places I like to order them.

1. Chili's (left) offers two different sauces, butter lettuce instead of iceburg, julienne raw carrots, and puffed rice noodles. I never actually stuff the lettuce here because it's too much trouble. I just use a fork for the fillings and my fingers for the lettuce!

2. Hop Li Seafood Restaurant in West Los Angeles (11901 Santa Monica Blvd) has a pretty good chicken version. Sometimes it has a little more cilantro than I can stomach, but if I put enough hoi sin sauce on it, I don't notice it too much.

3. I just had the Elephant Bar's version last night (right.) (DH and I went to see Hancock, and then had a late supper.) And they were delicious. It was a generous portion served with a nice peanut sauce. There were detailed iceburg leaves and a couple of chunks of red cabbage that was nice. I could have used a little less salt, but it was still delish!

Recommendation: COOL PEN!!!

2008-08-20T08:18:00.000-07:00

I LOVE pens. There are many of us pen-a-holics out there. If you are one of them, listen up! You must buy some Frixion pens. They have a little rubber tip on the end that can be used to erase the ink. But here's the ultra cool part: the tip is not an eraser. The ink disappears because of the friction, so there aren’t any little eraser bits to brush away. Plus, see that neat tattoo design they have on them?

I'm in love. I have four of them now. If Staples had had all six colors, I'd have six.

Skid No More

2008-08-19T04:00:00.000-07:00

My kids aren't so little anymore, but I thought this idea was so clever, I had to pass it on. Adorn the bottom of some socks with puffy paint, let them dry, and voila! Some socks that are a wee bit better for running around the house. :)

Artist: Isabel Samaras

2008-08-15T06:06:00.000-07:00

This is the very kooky art of Isabel Samaras. Isn't it fantastic? So campy, so irreverant! I loved these two paintings in particular because Botticelli's Birth of Venus is one of my favorite paintings of all time. The first painting here is called Black Venus. The only think I think it's lacking, besides flying attendants, is some fancy dual colored pubic hair. Maybe even armpit hair, too!

This next painting is called Birth of Ginger. Isn't it a hoot? Gilligan and Skipper embracing is a little creepy, but otherwise I think this is just a lot of fun. Instead of scars, like the Bride had, Ginger has tan lines. She also has some pretty nice abs. Anyway, so ends another Art Friday on my blog. Have a terrific weekend!

Small Squee

2008-08-14T07:38:00.000-07:00

I have a Google alert set up for myself and today I got one that actually gave me cause for a smile. My book, Hostile Takeover, is, as of this moment, a bestseller at Fictionwise.com, an online bookstore. :) I really don't know how that translates into numbers, but I just like the word BESTSELLER there next to one of my titles.

My, What A Big Lens You Have

2008-08-13T16:40:00.000-07:00

Here is the cover for my upcoming release from Ellora's Cave, A Wolf at Her Door. Wolf is the second in my Be-Wished series and I'm so excited that it's coming out next month! This guy's nose is a tad big, but maybe that's a good thing because in the book his sense of smell is highly acute. LOL

What Happens...

2008-08-11T14:00:00.000-07:00

I'm in Vegas until Tuesday. See you when I get back. :)