Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas, Yo Noel and all that jazz!
May the days be bright and the nights be dark.
Keep the spirit in your heart, and pass the love on.
Friday, December 24, 2010
Monday, December 20, 2010
Free Story: "In the Wind"
In The Wind
currently readable at this Goodreads location
The M/M Romance Group at Goodreads at Goodreads is presenting Holiday Stories. Members of the group asked authors to fill their stockings with special treats, so every day this season there's a free short story (or two). Mine is called "In the Wind" and is now posted!
Monday, December 13, 2010
Christmas and a new "review" of Back To Normal
It's not an official review or anything, but I got this in an email from my sister and it made me feel really good, so I thought I'd share:
Tam has asked people to share pix of their Christmas trees (or symbols of whatever holiday you celebrate), so here is this year's tree:
And here is the North Pole Village that Boy put up, with Buffy acting the Godzilla role:
Your book [Back To Normal] was great! Instead of doing my Christmas cards, I was plastered to the chair to read. I couldn’t put it down. I never thought I could read this genre but I find it fascinating and interesting. I’m still in awe over you being able to write so explicitly about it. I kept putting it down to walk away and get other things done, but I kept coming back to it with ‘just one more chapter’. Then it was over………….You really did a fabulous job on it. I read a lot, at least 3 or 4 books a week (because I do nothing else and have no life) and I truly enjoyed reading this. Congratulations, sis!
Tam has asked people to share pix of their Christmas trees (or symbols of whatever holiday you celebrate), so here is this year's tree:
And here is the North Pole Village that Boy put up, with Buffy acting the Godzilla role:
Thursday, December 9, 2010
Crazy Antics, continued
So where did I leave off? (To read the first part of Crazy Antics, go here.)
Oh, yes. Boy was telling DH and me that he and cyw moved their action to the back room. (Just an FYI, I'm not clear on the contents of the back room. It sounds a little spartan, as in no soft furniture to settle on. Maybe it was the ubiquitous "storage room.")
me: *wishing I could raise just one eyebrow* The back room, eh?
Boy: Yeah. You know. For privacy.
DH: Ah.
Boy: So we were on the floor in the back room, sort of rolling around. She liked my hair, 'cause she kept running her fingers through it while we kissed. She loved my arms, too.
me: And how do you know that?
Boy: She said, "I love your arms." *turns toward his father* See Dad, I told you that you don't have to do curls for girls if you do all the other stuff.
DH: *flexes newly forming biceps for my benefit"
me: *rolls eyes*
Boy: *laughs and then wraps his arm over his right side* Ow. Don't make me laugh.
DH: Sorry
me: Please, continue.
Boy: So I used some of my best lines and moves.
me: You have lines and moves?
Boy: *looks affronted* Yes. Like "I think you have some wine on your lips." And when she was impressed at how fast I was able to unhook a certain female undergarment, I joked, "Yeah, you don't know how many hours I spent in Victoria's Secret figuring that one out." That one got me some good laughs.
me: *rolls eyes*
DH: *takes notes*
Boy: Well, all this is going on, and we're sort of rolling around and stuff, and suddenly, out of nowhere, for no discernible reason I get this shooting pain in my side. It was awful. Seriously, I thought I was gonna throw up.
me: But...?
Boy: Well come on. I wasn't going to stop what I was doing just because of some pain. You have to give me credit for getting in some good lines and moves and making her laugh while I was trying not to pass out.
me: So, it wasn't like she elbowed you or kicked you or like you hit any furniture or anything?
Boy: *looks flummoxed* No. It just happened.
DH: So then what?
Boy: We made out for a while. But I had to stop before things got too far.
me: In too much pain, huh?
Boy: No. I didn't have any protection with me.
me: *stunned* You don't carry a condom in your wallet?
Boy: No. I think, I dunno, when you're just meeting someone, well, I think that's kind of sleazy. And, the fluctuation in temperature while it's in your wallet makes condoms degenerate faster.
DH: No shit?
me: How do you know this?
Boy: Ma. When you're a sexually active teenager, you do a lot of internet research.
me: Of course.
A little while later, after he ate and showered, Boy was in a lot of pain. DH and I used rock/paper/scissors to decide who'd go with him to medpoint. I lost, but then DH changed his mind. Or I might have pouted just enough. Anywhichever, they returned about two hours later, with Tylenol w/ Codeine and a muscle rub in hand.
me: So. How'd it go?
DH: Sheesh. *uses teasing voice* What a wimp. Nothing's broken.
Boy: *ignores Dad and rubs goop on his side*
He hadn't fractured anything, but apparently had strained his oblique muscle. Further research informed us that this can be a pretty bad injury, with different levels of severity and requires some down time so you don't really yank it and need surgery. The best way to avoid such a strain is to make sure you stretch properly before any activity.
Boy: When I checked in at the front desk, the lady there asked me if this was a work-related injury.
DH: That was the best laugh I've had in days.
me: What did you tell her?
Boy: I just said "no".
DH: Then he got to go back and see the doctor and I had to sit and listen to screaming kids. One of them pooped his pants and smelled up the whole waiting room. There should have at least been a broken bone involved.
And there you have it. There is a chance that Boy will get together with cyw while he's here over Christmas. If any further crazy antics ensue, I'll let you know!
Oh, yes. Boy was telling DH and me that he and cyw moved their action to the back room. (Just an FYI, I'm not clear on the contents of the back room. It sounds a little spartan, as in no soft furniture to settle on. Maybe it was the ubiquitous "storage room.")
me: *wishing I could raise just one eyebrow* The back room, eh?
Boy: Yeah. You know. For privacy.
DH: Ah.
Boy: So we were on the floor in the back room, sort of rolling around. She liked my hair, 'cause she kept running her fingers through it while we kissed. She loved my arms, too.
me: And how do you know that?
Boy: She said, "I love your arms." *turns toward his father* See Dad, I told you that you don't have to do curls for girls if you do all the other stuff.
Quality biceps
me: *rolls eyes*
Boy: *laughs and then wraps his arm over his right side* Ow. Don't make me laugh.
DH: Sorry
me: Please, continue.
Boy: So I used some of my best lines and moves.
me: You have lines and moves?
Boy: *looks affronted* Yes. Like "I think you have some wine on your lips." And when she was impressed at how fast I was able to unhook a certain female undergarment, I joked, "Yeah, you don't know how many hours I spent in Victoria's Secret figuring that one out." That one got me some good laughs.
me: *rolls eyes*
DH: *takes notes*
Boy: Well, all this is going on, and we're sort of rolling around and stuff, and suddenly, out of nowhere, for no discernible reason I get this shooting pain in my side. It was awful. Seriously, I thought I was gonna throw up.
me: But...?
Boy: Well come on. I wasn't going to stop what I was doing just because of some pain. You have to give me credit for getting in some good lines and moves and making her laugh while I was trying not to pass out.
me: So, it wasn't like she elbowed you or kicked you or like you hit any furniture or anything?
Boy: *looks flummoxed* No. It just happened.
DH: So then what?
Boy: We made out for a while. But I had to stop before things got too far.
me: In too much pain, huh?
Boy: No. I didn't have any protection with me.
me: *stunned* You don't carry a condom in your wallet?
Boy: No. I think, I dunno, when you're just meeting someone, well, I think that's kind of sleazy. And, the fluctuation in temperature while it's in your wallet makes condoms degenerate faster.
DH: No shit?
me: How do you know this?
Boy: Ma. When you're a sexually active teenager, you do a lot of internet research.
A little while later, after he ate and showered, Boy was in a lot of pain. DH and I used rock/paper/scissors to decide who'd go with him to medpoint. I lost, but then DH changed his mind. Or I might have pouted just enough. Anywhichever, they returned about two hours later, with Tylenol w/ Codeine and a muscle rub in hand.
me: So. How'd it go?
DH: Sheesh. *uses teasing voice* What a wimp. Nothing's broken.
Boy: *ignores Dad and rubs goop on his side*
He hadn't fractured anything, but apparently had strained his oblique muscle. Further research informed us that this can be a pretty bad injury, with different levels of severity and requires some down time so you don't really yank it and need surgery. The best way to avoid such a strain is to make sure you stretch properly before any activity.
Make sure you do enough stretching before you partake in any
level of physical action.
Especially the kind you don't experience much.
Boy: When I checked in at the front desk, the lady there asked me if this was a work-related injury.
DH: That was the best laugh I've had in days.
me: What did you tell her?
Boy: I just said "no".
DH: Then he got to go back and see the doctor and I had to sit and listen to screaming kids. One of them pooped his pants and smelled up the whole waiting room. There should have at least been a broken bone involved.
And there you have it. There is a chance that Boy will get together with cyw while he's here over Christmas. If any further crazy antics ensue, I'll let you know!
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Crazy Antics
Don't die of shock, but this is my second post in as many days. It's because I promised in yesterday's entry that I would tell you about my son's "crazy antics". So here's the story (contents may vary from reality):
Characters
Boy = my son
cyw = cute young woman
DH = dear husband
me = me
I may have mentioned that my DH and I have one child, a son, who is almost all growed up (they say your brain isn't fully mature until age 25 or thereabouts, so Boy still has a couple years to go). Over the last year and a half, Boy has lost 70 pounds and developed quite a fit and healthy body and lifestyle. He has educated himself in the fields of weightlifting, interval training and nutrition. (My friends who meet him tell me later that they think he's hot. What is the next level up from cougar? Lioness? Saber-tooth?) Near the beginning of his make-over, he and his girlfriend of four and a half years split up. Now he's enjoying having a nice body and figuring out the woman thing.
Boy came home for Thanksgiving break, and while he was in town attended a party at a friend's house. Before he left, he considerately told us that there was a slight chance he might stay the night. You never know how these things can end up. We asked him to text us to let us know if that's what he ended up doing.
The next morning DH finds a text message left at 5:30 a.m.: I'm staying the night.
Well, duh.
Boy rolls in that morning, maybe around 9, a little disheveled and with purplish spots on the sleeve of his white thermal pullover and a smile on his face.
DH: Got your 5:30 message. We sort of thought you might let us know earlier, like when you decided to stay.
Boy: That IS when I decided to stay.
DH: Oh.
me: So how was it?
(I should interject here that we and Boy have a pretty good relationship, so we fully expected all the details.)
Boy: It was good, a lot of fun actually. (He told us about the friends from high school who were there, and how fun it was catching up with them) Wearing this white shirt was a smart move.
me: *smirk*
DH: Why's that?
Boy: Yep. The ladies liked it. *rubs hand over pecs to emphasize form-fitting nature of shirt*
DH: Oh?
Boy: At one point I was sitting on the couch, surrounded by women. It was a good party.
me: I can tell by your elbow.
Boy: *looks at purple dots on sleeve* That's wine. I didn't have any, but I did get spilled on. *leans back against the kitchen counter and grimaces in pain* I think I might have broken a rib, though.
DH and me: What? Seriously?
Boy: Seriously. If I didn't break it, then bruised, maybe. It hurts pretty bad.
DH: What happened?
me: Were you wrestling?
(Okay, you have to understand here. Before he went to college, Boy and his friends would hang out here and inevitably they would get a little physical. So one part of my brain, at least, was still thinking in terms of "party = friends = rough-housing." I clearly hadn't had enough coffee yet.)
Boy: Well, not really. *smiles mischievously* (Like his father, he likes to draw out the story)
me: Augh. Just tell us.
Boy: Well, I got to talking with cyw, and we sort of flirted, and then we ended up in the back room.
~~~~~ I'm going to stop here. Will continue the story in the next post! ~~~~~~~~~~
Oh! I tried to find a picture of a muscular man in a tight white thermal shirt. Here's what I got:
Characters
Boy = my son
cyw = cute young woman
DH = dear husband
me = me
I may have mentioned that my DH and I have one child, a son, who is almost all growed up (they say your brain isn't fully mature until age 25 or thereabouts, so Boy still has a couple years to go). Over the last year and a half, Boy has lost 70 pounds and developed quite a fit and healthy body and lifestyle. He has educated himself in the fields of weightlifting, interval training and nutrition. (My friends who meet him tell me later that they think he's hot. What is the next level up from cougar? Lioness? Saber-tooth?) Near the beginning of his make-over, he and his girlfriend of four and a half years split up. Now he's enjoying having a nice body and figuring out the woman thing. Boy came home for Thanksgiving break, and while he was in town attended a party at a friend's house. Before he left, he considerately told us that there was a slight chance he might stay the night. You never know how these things can end up. We asked him to text us to let us know if that's what he ended up doing.
The next morning DH finds a text message left at 5:30 a.m.: I'm staying the night.
Well, duh.
Boy rolls in that morning, maybe around 9, a little disheveled and with purplish spots on the sleeve of his white thermal pullover and a smile on his face.
DH: Got your 5:30 message. We sort of thought you might let us know earlier, like when you decided to stay.
Boy: That IS when I decided to stay.
DH: Oh.
me: So how was it?
(I should interject here that we and Boy have a pretty good relationship, so we fully expected all the details.)
Boy: It was good, a lot of fun actually. (He told us about the friends from high school who were there, and how fun it was catching up with them) Wearing this white shirt was a smart move.
me: *smirk*
DH: Why's that?
Boy: Yep. The ladies liked it. *rubs hand over pecs to emphasize form-fitting nature of shirt*
DH: Oh?
Boy: At one point I was sitting on the couch, surrounded by women. It was a good party.
me: I can tell by your elbow.
Boy: *looks at purple dots on sleeve* That's wine. I didn't have any, but I did get spilled on. *leans back against the kitchen counter and grimaces in pain* I think I might have broken a rib, though.
DH and me: What? Seriously?
Boy: Seriously. If I didn't break it, then bruised, maybe. It hurts pretty bad.
DH: What happened?
me: Were you wrestling?
(Okay, you have to understand here. Before he went to college, Boy and his friends would hang out here and inevitably they would get a little physical. So one part of my brain, at least, was still thinking in terms of "party = friends = rough-housing." I clearly hadn't had enough coffee yet.)
Boy: Well, not really. *smiles mischievously* (Like his father, he likes to draw out the story)
me: Augh. Just tell us.
Boy: Well, I got to talking with cyw, and we sort of flirted, and then we ended up in the back room.
~~~~~ I'm going to stop here. Will continue the story in the next post! ~~~~~~~~~~
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Bad Blogger! Good Reviews! Freebie Coming Soon! Fan Mail!
I admit I am a bad blogger. It's a self-confidence/introvert thing. I mean really, who wants to read what I babble on about? Apparently, though, there is someone out there who misses my entertaining posts. Back to that later.
Back to Normal is now available at All Romance Ebooks and Amazon (Kindle edition). Maybe it's at other sellers, too.
The M/M Romance Group at Goodreads at Goodreads is presenting Holiday Stories. Members of the group asked authors to fill their stockings with special treats, so every day this season there's a free short story (or two). Mine is called "In the Wind" and will be posted on December 20. There's a werewolf in it. And that's all I'm sayin'. The picture at the right was provided for inspiration.
And now on to the Fan Mail. This appeared in my email box yesterday:
Back To Normal has received some nice reviews --
Tam's Reads"A super second outing for Wren."
4 1/2 stars from Lily at I Love Books and at Jessewave's
4 1/2 stars from Lily at I Love Books and at Jessewave's
4 cherries from Whipped Cream Erotic Romance Reviews
4 1/2 stars from Rainbow Reviews
And now on to the Fan Mail. This appeared in my email box yesterday:
UPDATE YOUR BLOG, UPDATE YOUR BLOG, UPDATE YOUR BLOG, UPDATE YOUR BLOG, UPDATE YOUR BLOG! (In a chanting fashion).I was going to edit that letter a little bit, but I find in re-reading it that it's perfect the way it is. Tomorrow I will post about my son and his "crazy antics" so stay tuned. In the meantime:
I read this blog by my favorite m/m writer, Wren Boudreau, and she hasn't updated it since Veteran's Day. I feel like she probably has a lot of interesting things going on, what with the release of a new book a couple months ago and it being the holiday season. She could probably put up some pictures of dudes dressed like elves making out, or a naked guy with a conveniently placed candy cane. I also know that she has a son who has gotten into some crazy antics involving a cute young woman, a back room and a pulled oblique muscle. Maybe Wren's blogosphere would want to hear about that. I know that the girl part would probably turn them off, but her son is a pretty attractive guy with a 220lb bench press and lovely arms. I believe I also heard that she was writing a short story about gay werewolves. Maybe that is something her fans would want to hear about.
These are just things I think about....
Love,
Your #1 fan (who can't actually make it all through one of your books because he has to stop reading as soon as he gets to the sex scenes)
For whatever reason, I had difficulties locating quality "elf" pictures. If you know of any, please share.
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