HUNKS FOR VALENTINE'S DAY

Yeah, I can't let this opportunity go by without posting some wonderful guys for you to drool over. After all, Valentine's Day is fast approaching, and we all need a "lift", right?
Maybe you'll be someone who gets a stuffed bear, like the one shown in this photo. Oh...if you're lucky, the guy holding it will look just like this hunk and come aptly dressed (or undressed) when he presents you with his gift.
Notice his bulging muscles, the strategic position of that teddy bear...and the bear's little hat.
Are you wondering what's behind that bear? When you grab for the teddy, will you "find" something else, waiting for your caress?

Candy and flowers are the usual choice of gifts for your sweetheart to give you, but wouldn't you love something that keeps giving, and giving, and giving... Of course, recharging is necessary, but dream and fantasize all you want! What's under that bag? Use your imagination and place a face for this mystery man. And, what's under that box of Valentine chocolates? After you eat all the candy, will you find another wonderful surprise to enjoy?

Now, the message with this photo tells it all. What a luscious satin pillow for you to lay your head on. Comfy, smooth, surrounded by hot, sizzling male flesh. You get to fantasize what comes next! And...is that your hand holding up the pillow? How quickly can you move it aside to peek at what's behind it?

Valentine's Day is for lovers of all ages. Enjoy the day with someone you love...in any fantasy way you desire!

Photos: Rockshots.com

Visit http://www.mariannestephens.net/ for information about my mainstream romance books. "Anything You Can Do" will be released on 19 February by www.breathlesspress.com.

VIDEO: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xSho7Mus4zo

"Gone to the Dogs" is now available in print.

Visit http://www.aprilash.net/ for information about my erotic romance books.

Some of these books are now available in Kindle format!

ALSO: Don't miss the multi-author, all-day, Ellora's Cave/Cerridwen Press chat on Thursday, 11 Feb. at:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/LoveRomancesCafe. You must join the group to participate.

New cherry! FALLING FAST and a few thoughts on life and loves

Dear Readers,

As many of you know, our family lost our oldest son last week and we are in the stages of grief and sorrow that lead us to view the finest elements of life.

Today, kiss your loved ones, or if far away, tell them you love them.

My newest book, quite by a stroke of fate, is about a young man who has a head injury, as did our boy.

I hope you will read FALLING FAST, debuting February 23 from Resplendence, because here you read and hear about a few of the many challenges those with Tramatic Brain Injuries experience.

My editor said she loved it because it was a wonderful story that she would have read anyway just for pleasure.

I hope you read it and enjoy it as well.

Oh My Gosh!

Things were so crazy yesterday I forgot to blog!

My kitty is sick, my hubby totaled his car, yiiii!

So the good news is you can and should get yourselves involved in two contests.
Over on my website: http://juliarachelbarrett.net/
I'm running a give-away - a copy of F.U. by Mia Watts.
Leave a comment on any post that includes the words - Enter me! Enter me now! I'll draw a name at random on Monday and announce the winner.

But the bigger news - sorry Mia - I have my own contest going on at Stumbling Over Chaos - head over there and leave a comment. You can win a copy of my coming release, My Everything, with Cobblestone Press. The contest runs through the 11th, the book comes out on the 12th.
Hurry over and leave me some love!
http://www.stumblingoverchaos.com/?p=5864http://

See you there!

Happily Ever After

Obviously, one man and one woman falling in love and getting married is the traditional HEA. But so many erotic romances revolve around other kinds of relationships. I’m intrigued by the fact that one person’s HEA is not necessarily that of another.

I am a big fan of ménage love stories. I love reading about more than two people trying to navigate the romance waters together. In sci-fi and fantasy books, where relationships can be defined by a different set of rules, HEA is easy to see. In stories set in the real world, can there still be a HEA in this situation? I believe the answer is 100% yes. I’m a romantic (kind of goes with the territory, doesn’t it?) and can see, for example, two men and one woman committing fully to each other and sharing a wonderful life together.

My quandary at the moment revolves around relationships between immortals and humans. Allow me to construct a scenario. Todd is a 400 year old vampire. Betty is a 36 year old human. They experience all of the trials and tribulations we would expect in a fantastic romance novel and finally declare their love and devotion to each other. Part of me feels this is a perfectly satisfying HEA, but the trouble making part of me keeps throwing out questions. Is it necessary for Betty to be ‘turned’ so they will be together for all eternity? What if Todd offers the possibility and they agree to decide later? Or Betty decides she wants to stay human and they will be together for her natural life span? Maybe it’s not discussed in the story at all?

What are your thoughts on the subject?

Tessie
www.tessiebradford.com

Restocking the Creative Pond.

Every writer knows the frustration of dealing with a Muse that’s blown a fuse. We’ve all had days, which usually come with deadlines attached, where the words creep across the page in a slow trickle or worse the words stop trickling at all.

Most of us have to schedule our writing time and force it to fit in our practical lives. We all face days when the Muse resists or resents the schedule and refuses to cooperate. Not surprisingly those are the best days to restock the creative pond.

Writers, who force themselves to write on demand, will eventually drain their creative pond of good-sized fish-I mean ideas. You can’t keep taking big ideas out while putting nothing back. You have to restock the pond you fish from. That means walking away from the computer and reading, living and actually doing some of those things that are so much fun to write about. Even watching great movies will restock the pond.

I write romance, which puts human subtleties under a microscope so human contact restocks my creative pond. I love meeting new people and watching their mannerism and listening to their voice inflections. One of my favorite games to play on restock days is go into the world knowing fate will place an interesting character into my path. I leave the house open to the idea that I am going to speak with a fascinating person. That person can be anyone a waitress, a homeless person or a sales clerk. I let the person choose me and I never bother anyone who is busy.

The rule is: The person must approach me and they must do the talking. It is my job to listen to them with an open heart, no judgments with only enough comment to make them feel comfortable. I’m astonished with the information strangers share with me. If I do my job right and I leave the house with the clearest intentions strangers walk up to me and confess. It never fails.

While others are speaking to me, I see them as perfect souls and the highest teachers I could ask for at that moment. During the conversation, no matter how brief, I always end up feeling or hearing some moment of human truth.

After all that’s why I do this in the first place. I find the more I love about humanity the easier it gets to write about love.

The best conversations end in mutual laughter, a handshake and rarely but sometimes a hug. I always say thank you before I walk away. I have met a countless number of “great teachers” out there disguised as everyday people who have helped me restock my creative pond and I am thankful for it.

What creative ritual or act of love do you offer your Muse?

XXOO Kat

Friendships

A lot of my writer friends have been touching on the subject of friendship lately. I’m not sure why, maybe it’s the time of the year for reflection, but I’ve been thinking about it too.

Over the past year I’ve made some incredible friends online. I have a handful of close friends, but I honestly can say, they don’t compare to my writer friends. Is it because we, as writers, understand each other? I’m not sure.

I do know that when crisis hit my family, it was my online friends who reached out. I received emails just asking if I’m okay…did I need anything. People I didn’t know offered comfort and I’ve made new friends.

Almost a year ago I met two wonderful writers at a conference. When tragedy struck they immediately sent flowers. I don’t know them that well, but it touched my heart. One editor made a donation to the fund the DH and I set up in honor of our son. Another publishing company sent flowers. I couldn’t get over how much people care. I must say the donations have poured in and I’m thrilled. To know that we can help other families struggling in the NICU makes me feel good.

So to my online friends – YOU are the ones who lifted me up and carried me to a better place. I can’t thank you all enough. Without you this last month would’ve been impossible to bear.
Cheers to my fabulous friends!

National Freedom Day

Okay...I'm a flag waver. Always have been and always will be. Freedom comes with a price, and sometimes we definitely forget that.

I remember listening to stories my father and uncles would tell about World War II and how they were in the military. Even visited Pearl Harbor and honored those who died in WWII.



In college during the Vietnam era, I was a dorm representative for our student council government. We were asked to vote for an anti-war statement. I was one of two who wouldn't vote for it. Again, that flag waver in me felt as if I had to support the military...and I hadn't been given the chance to poll those I represented.

My husband spent two tours in Vietnam. No one cared then. His devotion to the military and decision to make the Army his career didn't change how I felt for him. I knew the risks he'd take, in the name of keeping us free, and married him.

Those who protest anything and everything sometimes don't remember that they're able to do that because others made sacrifices for their freedom. Respect for those protecting us took a turn after 9/11. Sad to say, but that one day changed how many felt about their freedom and lives. As the years pass, some show signs of forgetting just how terrible those days in September 2001 felt, and how we need to constantly be on guard to insure our freedom.

My son's unit should be going to Afghanistan this year. He's ready. He knows the risks, as do I. Do I want him to go? No. No one wants war. No mother wants her son or daughter to go. But, he has a job to do for his country. Men and women in uniform will fight "over there" to protect us "over here" and keep the ideals of freedom from disappearing.

Fly your flag. I do, every day. Show your patriotism. Thank those in the military when you see them in uniform. Freedom isn't something to take for granted...it's something we've enjoyed, thanks to the hard work of others.

Photos: Flickr: Fausxt_digit, Frank Hale, The Gifted Photographer's photostreams.

In "Strip Poker for Two" by April Ash, my hero is an Army officer. Gotta love those men in uniforms, as the heroine quickly finds out! Check out this book at my website: http://www.aprilash.net/
Coming 19 February: "Anything You Can Do" by Marianne Stephens. Go to http://www.mariannestephens.net/ for more information. "Gone to the Dogs" is now available in print.