Vamping It Up Cover reveal!

Do you want to see the cover for my new novella? I said, DO YOU WANT TO SEE THE COVER FOR MY NEW NOVELLA????
 
Well, since you insist. ;)
****

When half-vampire Holly Barros’s fiancé dumps her via text, she knows she’s gotta do something new with her life. Her glamorous great-aunt, vampire Celeste Barros, states that the girl needs a vacation, and how!

Celeste flies Holly from Seattle to Las Vegas, where she discovers the real meaning of Sin City. The Strip is full of sexy men, eager to tempt and please the broken-hearted young woman. 

Can Holly find out who she wants to be, vampire or human, in the midst of the whirl of Nevada? She’s willing and ready to find out!

 

***

Holly will be released on the world soon!

Vacation!

World's coolest tree in Lahaina.

Hello from Maui! I'm soaking up sun and relaxation before I start the push to self-publish Vamping It Up.

But to keep your appetite whetted, here's an excerpt from Chapter Two:

“Shit.”

Holly stared at the broken key sticking out of her apartment’s deadbolt. Frustrated beyond belief, she pounded her fist against the metal door.

Damn, that was satisfying.

She pounded again. And once more, with all her strength. The impact jarred her clavicle.

“Double shit.” She shook out her arm. The gathered sweat under her dress cascaded down her back.

Yuck.

The air conditioning in the apartment building hadn’t been turned on yet, either.

She dropped her head on the blessedly cool door. “Triple shit.”

Vamping It Up: In Production!

It's all about the junk.

I have finished my edits of Vamping It Up, an erotic coming-of-age novella. I'm attempting a mid-October release - just in time for a sexy, Halloween read. :)

Here is an excerpt from Chapter One.

His high, round ass, the only fleshy part of his physique, moved easily under his jean shorts as he shifted back and forth against the sway of the bus. Those shorts were low enough to show a teasing strip of heather grey boxer-briefs, but not low enough to make him waddle like a penguin.

Always a turn off, that, Holly thought.

His tight butt promised he could fuck all day. Holly rubbed at the sweat collecting on her collarbones. She wanted his narrow hips between her thighs, his package rubbing against the crotch of her panties under her dress. His long arms would brace him above her, giving him a great view of her face and breasts as he teased her, promising he would enter her, but at his own pace. He would demand she fall apart underneath him and she’d scream and scream and scream….

Lunch with 10 Awesome People: The first response!

Mel and his late wife, Anne Bancroft

I just got the most awesome rejection letter from... *drum roll* ...Mel Brooks and his assistant, Shelby Van Vliet.

I'm thrilled that someone actually read my letter and I got a response. 

Poor Mel is too busy to write me personally, but he thanked me for my kind words and kinder invitation.

Mel! Take a vacation now and again!

Ten Awesome People: The Lunch Project with Kenneth Branagh

The third person on my Lunch Project is the ridiculously talented Kenneth Branagh.

I first saw him in his version of Henry V, released in 1989. I have always loved Shakespeare, but this version was something completely mind blowing! Fast, passionate, relentless - at no point did he let the weight of the "Shakespeare Mystique" drag down the pace. I have been a fan ever since (not rabid, because I'm not crazy that way).

I want to pick his writer and director brain. I'm fascinated with pace and brilliant characterization. I want to know what he's learned about storytelling in his years of work.

What is your favorite Kenneth Branagh work?

10 Awesome People: The Lunch Project with Mel Brooks

I sent my second letter in my Lunch Project to the awesome Mel Brooks!

Who wouldn't want to have a meal with this ground breaking comic? He references such crimes as the Inquisition, the Holocaust, race relations, and fraud with grace, flair, and incredible comedic timing.

I re-watched Blazing Saddles last month - my first time since I was in my early twenties. What a brilliant satire! And of course, he pokes fun at movies that take themselves too seriously.

Wish me good luck! I hope he accepts my invitation.

Lunch with 10 Awesome People

Here's my list of 10 Awesome People

1. President and First Lady Obama
2.  Kenneth Branagh, writer, actor, director, producer
3. Pam Grier, actress
4. Clarissa Pinkola Estes, author of Women Who Run with the Wolves
5. Gala Darling, blogger, Radical Self Love guru
6. Andy Serkis, actor, known for his motion capture work
7. Fran Walsh, co-writer and producer of the Lord of the Rings and the Hobbit movies
8. Robert Shaye, the founder of New Line Cinema
9. Mel Brooks, comedian, actor, director
10. Gloria Steinem, activist, feminist

Now that I've found addresses for them all, I need to figure out how to get to their various locales! And when! After all, it's not a real invitation to lunch if I don't include an actual date.

These awesome people range from LA to New Zealand to New York to London.  Looks like I have some fun traveling ahead. :)

Ah, scheduling. The hardest part of any endeavor.

Greetings from the Slush Pile

Every author has to cut scenes she loves from a book. Today we visit one cut from Dracula's Secret. I loved the sensuality and the ideas of traditional femininity. But it slowed down the plot to a snail's pace, so it had to go.

***

      Valerie examined the headless body in front of her. This might be the most difficult thing she had ever faced. She touched the pit of her neck, the rest of her petrified by the sight.

      The dressmaker’s dummy, dressed in exquisite sunset orange European silk and cream-colored lace, paralyzed her.

      Jane’s Vanity was a small, unassuming, and thoroughly intimidating lingerie store. The vampire took a hesitant step towards the door and clutched the door handle. Her vision wavered. Hundreds of years of habit held her outside the store. Valerie had never worn any sort of sexually attractive undergarments since she’d begun dressing as a woman. Her quest had kept her focused on the all-consuming goal. Her expensive outerwear had been an investment in camouflage and disguise. Honesty forced her to admit that she had bought her dragon-embroidered coat for pleasure.

      Now she had the chance to wear something for pleasure. A terrifying thought.

      Fearlessness, she reminded herself as she swung open the gleaming door. A little bell rang cheerily as she entered the tiny store. As Valerie stroked a Belgian lace parasol, a small drama unfolded before her.  A shy-looking Indian woman swung a pink silk gown off the rack and held it in front of herself. The color brought out the gleam of her thick black hair and brought a healthy warmth to her brown skin. She smoothed the fabric against her body as she looked in the mirror.

      Valerie licked her lips at the sound of skin on silk, heat building in her belly. Centuries as a man had given her a deep seated appreciation of women.

Want to read the real story of Dracula? Read Dracula's Secret!

Amazon , Barnes and Noble, Kobos

Courting the Chippendale's dancers.

Last week, I did something I'd wanted to do since I was in high school:

I saw the Chippendales show!!

Me and the boys. Aren't they wonderful sports?

 The venue was at the Rio Casino in Las Vegas. What a group of talented men - they can sing, they can dance, they can make taking off a pair of gloves incredibly sexy.

I asked their dance captain if  I could interview him. Of course, the Chippendales are an internationally renowned dance troupe, and I'm a romance writer, but I really want to know their opinions on a number of subjects. Here are the questions I came up with before (and after) the show.

1. Chippendales has been at the forefront of women's sexual liberation since 1979. How have the shows and the fantasies changed? What remains the same?

2. What three pieces of advice would you give to men to be more confident in their sexuality?

3. Quite frankly, the men of Chippendales know how to work in front of a camera. Can you share the secrets of how to pose??

Ten people I'd like to buy lunch for before I die

Aren't they the coolest couple ever?

Writers love writing games. They keep your brain fresh, fun, and stimulated. The other day, I played the 10 People I'd Like to buy Lunch for Before I Die.

I also learned that if you write down what you want to do, you are 42% more likely to actually do it.

I want to pick his writer's brain.

Therefore! Here are my 10 People.

1. President and First Lady Obama
2.  Kenneth Branagh, writer, actor, director, producer
3. Pam Grier, actress
4. Clarissa Pinkola Estes, author of Women Who Run with the Wolves
5. Gala Darling, blogger, Radical Self Love guru
6. Andy Serkis, actor, known for his motion capture work
7. Fran Walsh, co-writer and producer of the Lord of the Rings and the Hobbit movies
8. Robert Shaye, the founder of New Line Cinema
9. Mel Brooks, comedian, actor, director
10. Gloria Steinem, activist, feminist

So, hey, you awesome people! Let me know if I can buy you a yummy lunch! I promise we will have a fun conversation. :)

Why is she NOT in every movie ever made??

Robert Shaye

Clarissa Pinkola Estes

The Pleasure of Food: Pineapple!

With the arrival of summer to the Pacific Northwest, it is time to indulge in sweet, delicious fruit.

What better summer fruit than the yummy but hard-to-get-at pineapple? The Flaming Chef, The Charming Man, and I made this video so you can enjoy fresh pineapple on a lovely day.

Enjoy your food!

If you enjoyed this, please join us over at YouTube for more Pleasure of Food!

Mmmm, food: Part Four

Ready to eat? Time for some fabulous food!

Link here.

Mmmm, food: Part Three

Almost done with that duck and duck-fat fried potatoes!

Link

Ready to cook yet?

Mmmm, food: Part Two

How to roast a duck, part two of four:

Link here.

My mouth is watering already. How about yours?

Mmmm, food: Part One.

Several years ago, The Charming Man, The Flaming Chef, and I produced a cooking show called The Pleasure of Food. As a reminder of everyday pleasures, I am reposting them here!

In case the video doesn't load for your, the link is http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_wS62MWlXyQ&list=PLF80B22C0AC7E55A6&feature=share