Help the Family Literacy progam.

I don't know if you've been following the eHarlequin.com 100,000 Book Challenge, but if you have, then we have a new assignment for you.

If you haven't joined, we'd like you too. It's free, it's easy and it's fun. Best of all, you get to help people without it costing you anything more than a little time.

If you are already a challenger, then bring someone new into the game.

The more challengers we have, the more we read, the faster we will reach our goal.

So go on, take a few minutes and sign up. It'll feel good to help someone else.

This is Charlotte's Ass... lol

I have way more pictures to post but it'll have to wait til I can think straight.

Catch A Mate with Gena Showalter

I'm happy to say I'm hosting a discussion with Gena Showalter over on eHarlequin.com this week.


We'll be discussing her novel Catch A Mate.


If you're a fan of Gena's then stop on by and chat with us.

Season Liberally - 5 Spice Briefs

Gilt and Midnight

Word of Miracula's unique beauty is known far throughout the land. But when a dark fairie curses her with Desire, it is news of her insatiable lust that attracts dozens would-be suitors to her door, as one by one they attempt to break the curse by bringing her utter fulfillment.

I enjoyed this offering from Megan Hart. What I liked most about it was how it showed the dual sides of Miracula's sexuality.

Forever Yours

Despite their love for each other, lovemaking has become routine and predictable for the Duke and Duchess of Sutcliffe. Desperate to save their marriage, they begin exchanging passionate, erotic missives detailing needs and fantasies they never before dared to express. Soon, they're acting out those fantasies and discovering a consuming desire like none they've ever known...

I very much enjoyed this story as well. In part, because it had the feel of a historical and in part because I it' appreciated the reminder that you shouldn't let the spark die in your marraige.

Anything You Want

When the mirror over her bed comes crashing down from the ceiling, she knows it's been tampered with. Juggling three lovers--giving them anything they wanted and setting the price--had given her a sense of power. But now one of them is trying to kill her--only, which one? In order to unearth the culprit she devises a plan of seduction to trick the guilty party into giving himself away...

I liked this, the blend of mystery and sexuality, and the heroine's realizations at the end.

Tokyo Rendevous

She found Tokyo intoxicating...but lonely. So when Steve, the object of her super-hot sexual fantasies, offers to introduce her to the Japan tourists never see--the erotic hideaways known as love hotels--she's willing and eager. Designed to discretely accommodate the wildest fantasies of their patrons, these ports of pleasure offer very specialized accomodations, where she soon discovers levels of sensuality and pleasure like none she's ever known...

Another fast and fun read from Jina Bacarr. I liked that the relationship showed the possibility of more.

Psychic Sex

She loves the sense of power being a personal trainer gives her--not to mention the access to a seemingly endless stream of sexy men. But when her latest object of desire doesn't rise to the bait, she's forced to spend the night with a good book--all about astral projection. As she drifts off to sleep, she's shocked to suddenly find herself having the wildest, most satisfying sex of her life--and it all seems so real!

This wasn't my favorite, although I did appreciate the heroine's honest appraisal of her sexual preferences. I would have liked to see the premise better developed.

Guardian's Keep - Lorie Devoti - Silhouette Nocturne, January, 2008

Kol Hildr had spent the last century battling hellhounds and warlocks who sought to usurp his portal's magic. A mighty shape-shifter with the ability to change into wolf form, Kol made accessing the powerful gateway nearly impossible—unless you were a witch of Kelly Shane's talents.

She had a score to settle and would do anything to close the portal that led to her unearthly prison. Though an alliance with her compromised Kol's very purpose, something about the little witch overwhelmed his fierce, battle-worn soul. But when he learned that Kelly's life might be in jeopardy, could Kol put aside the one thing he thought he valued most—the portal—to journey to the other side and save her?

Guardian's Keep, the second in the Unbound series by Lori Devoti, was a fast and fun read.

Kelly and Kol battled each other, the garm council and various other worldly creatures before they accepted their bond and worked together.

I also enjoyed the side story which was the catalyst of all the chaos.

I'm eager for the next in what's proving to be an excellent series.

Digital Media and hairballs...

You know, I started to blog this yesterday afternoon, when I was finished my first set of rounds for the day, and I was all full of ambition. I was going to blog about digital media, about how much I love it and why.

I was going to discuss the joy of eBooks and how instant access gives me a rush. I adore that I can have a book in my greedy little hands in under a minute, even at 12:17 am when I'm looking pretty scary. Which was the time on the clock last night when I, complete with freshly washed and rolled hair, downloaded one of the recent Spice Briefs. Boy what a sexy picture that was...

I was going to discuss the freedom that AudioBooks afford me when I often get too busy to read otherwise. How else could I get to read a couple of chapters this morning while folding laundry? Or hear a few more tomorrow evening while I'm sewing part of my fairy costume for RT. Try holding a book and doing that...

I was going to talk about Podcasts, like this month's featured podcast on one of my favorite authors, Susan Wiggs. I admit it, I'm something of a nerd, and the information in the podcasts fuel my need to learn. It's just a bonus that it's new and fascinating things.

But then, yep, life happened... My phone started ringing, and my inbox started filling, and my gorgeous long haired fur baby had a couple of hairball attacks (bleck) and my teenager is off her regular school schedule this week because of exams and boy was she feeling yappy. What kind of mom would I be if I told her to get lost when she actually wanted to spend time with me... And apparently she was contagious because my hubby called at least 4 times... and my mom called, and my 3yo niece insisted on talking to me twice... and the day progressed from there.
Needless to say I didn't get around to posting my blog about digital media until last last night, it was past my bedtime.

So I took my handy little pda and go crawl into bed beside the sleeping, snoring blanket thief and read a short story before sleep claimed me.

Me Time

The pic says it all doesn't it? It's cold, I'm tired, and it's cold.

Drama Queens and germs.,

As most of you know, I'm a mom, and I have 3 girls, all nicknamed Fred.

Some of you know that my girls are adhd (fancy that, my kids being hyper) and some of you know that besides their actual names, and Fred, I also call them The Instigator, The Agitator, and The Arguer.

The instigator would be my oldest. She's 16 and just loves to stir thing up so she can sit back to watch. (a little more of her father showing there). We also call her Lord Marshall because she likes to be in charge when not being Machiavelli.

The Arguer is the youngest. She's 8, and I swear, if I said the sky was blue she'd argue that it was really more of a dove grey... She's my high strung one, the one I also call Norma, after Norma Desmond, and she's normally the drama queen, although since she's usually the unwilling pawn of her sisters, I can understand why. She's also my pokey one. I'm forever barking at her to pick up the pace because we're always waiting on her.

The Agitator is my dd2, she's 11 and funny enough, she's my quiet one, when not tormenting her sisters or making us laugh with her quick wit that is. She's also the most easy going of the three. She wakes up pleasant, and gets out of bed without trouble when I call her. She usually says "okay mom" and does what I ask, the first time I ask it and often before I ask.

I think dd's 2 and 3 switched bodies this morning.

dd3 was up first, without being called and dd2 had to be called twice. dd3 ate her breakfast without examining it or complaining. dd2 had to be reminded twice that it was her favorite. dd3 brushed her teeth and was dressed 20 minutes early, dd2 was having a meltdown 5 minutes after they were supposed to be out the door.

I thought to myself, watching her, that she must not be feeling well.Sure enough, not a half hour later the school called, she wanted to come home. She's sleeping now, and this is my kid that gave up naps at 2.

See, a mother always knows.

Home Away from Home

When I first discovered eHarlequin.com back in... um, 2000 I think. I was a lurker. I've never been the shy sort, but I've always taken the time to learn about a place before I jump in with both feet. I wanted to find out what sort of people hung out there, since I'd heard such stories about net junkies I was a little leary about getting mixed up with some.

Well, it wasn't long before I spoke up, said hello and found myself welcomed. Now I'm a net junky too.

I'm so glad I made that choice. I met some truly wonderful people here, made some life long friends, and discovered more than one kindred spirit.

Each day I meet someone new, share my love for words and wordsmiths and strengthen the bonds of growing friendhsips.

I'm looking forward to the year to come.

Dear Readers,

How often do you get the chance to help people, and indulge in something you love at the same time?

Well here's your chance eHarlequin.com is hosting a Book Challenge, and not just any challenge, this one's special.

Our goal is for our community to read 100,000 books between 12:01am - January 1, 2008 and 11:59pm - December 31, 2008.

If we can make that 100,000, or close to it, then eHarlequin.com is going to donate that number of books to a worthy cause.

What we ask of you is simple. Join us in this undertaking.

There is no cost beyond the books you’re already buying for yourselves anyway. You don’t even have to read all Harlequin Books, although we do ask that half of the books you read come from one or more of our imprints.

There is no “homework” beyond posting your reviews as you finish your books, and posting these reviews on a regular basis.

It’s simple, and fun and you’ll meet a lot of like-minded people.

To join us…

If you’re an existing eHarlequin.com member, just email Lorie-eHarlequin at ehq2008_challenge@yahoo.com and tell her you’re in. Please include your name, community id, and a contact email.

If you’ve not joined eHarlequin.com yet, you can Join Here and then email Lorie with the above info

Thanks,
Lorie-eHarlequin