Wednesday, March 31, 2010

Workshop Wednesday


Sex & Violence (Without the Sex) and Alpha Male Warriors with Bob Mayer

April 4, 2010 – April 18, 2010
$15 for PI Members; $20 for Non-members

Writing action scenes requires being in real time and real people. This presentation will focus both on how to write action scenes effectively, but also understanding the subtext to the scene in terms of reality, personalities, and effect on plot and character. Tactics, weapons, hand-to-hand, etc. will be covered. The mindset of a warrior (and the coward) approaching and involved in action scenes will be discussed. Lessons will be presentations with questions to be asked afterward and answered in next lesson.

Six lessons:
1: Character: Who are these people and why are they fighting?
2: Plot, Setting and Point of View in Action scenes.
3: Writing Action
4: Weapons, tactics, martial arts, and how to kill with your pinkie.
5: The mind of the Warrior.
6: Wrap up and final questions answered.

NY Times bestselling author Bob Mayer has 40 books published. He has over three million books in print and is in demand as a team-building, life-change, and leadership speaker and consultant. Bob graduated from West Point and served in the military as a Special Forces A-Team leader and a teacher at the JFK Special Warfare Center & School. He earned a black belt in martial arts while living in the Orient. His latest book is Who Dares Wins: The Green Beret Way to Conquer Fear & Succeed. He teaches novel writing and improving the author via his Warrior-Writer program. For more information see his website.

To Pay Online : Using PayPal (PayPal), send payment to workshops@passionateink.org with “WORKSHOP – Sex and Violence” as the subject. In the “message” section, include Your Name and Email Address.

For more information: workshopchair@passionateink.org

Cost: $15 for Passionate Ink Members, $20 for non-members

To pay by check, print this page and send with a check to
Passionate Ink Workshops
c/o Robin L. Rotham
P.O. Box 2412
Norfolk, NE 68701

Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Temptation Tuesday - The Massage


Yes, massage is a true temptation for me. The relaxing of muscles and the releasing of stress at the hands of a talented therapist sound like pure heaven. Check out this list of massages offered at the nationwide Massage Envy Clinics:

Trigger Point
Swedish
Deep Tissue
Sports
Reflexology
Cranial Sacral
Hot Stone Envy
Chair Massage
Prenatal
Geriatric

I've never had a massage, but some day soon I hope to remedy that, starting with the Hot Stone Envy. What about you, to massage or not massage. Does it tempt?

Thursday, March 25, 2010

Thursday Thirteen - Thirteen US Cities I Would Like To See



Thursday Thirteen - Thirteen US Cities I Would Like To See

1. New Orleans, Louisiana
2. Washington DC
3. Boston, Massachusetts
4. New York City, New York
5. Nome, Alaska
6. San Francisco, California
7. Phoenix, Arizona
8. Savannah, Georgia
9. Miami, Florida
10. San Diego, California
11. Bangor, Maine
12. Sisters, Oregon
13. Honolulu, Hawaii




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The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others’ comments. It’s easy, and fun!



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Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Temptation Tuesday - The Embrace


You know, I love to kiss and teasing a lover with what ifs and what could be, ranks high on my list of favorite things to do, but at the top of that list is to hug.

Though this Tue Temptation is about the embrace of a lover, I will say that hugging in general is an incredible feel good, stress relieving activity. Think of the last time you hugged a friend you haven't seen in a long time, or given a child a much needed hug. A sense of rightness fills me, pushing out the stress of the day, at least for a few moments.

In a way the embrace of a lover is not much different, yet it is worlds apart. Maybe they are returning home from a long day at work and find you doing dishes. They hug you from behind, sidling closer to your back and wrapping their arms fully around you...one aiming up toward your shoulder while the other wraps around your waist, enclosed in their love, together again, relieved.

There's also the front to front embrace. Your arms around his neck and his around your waist. This is a good one for taking in each others scent, warmth and leaves you each free to engage in some sexy nibbling or happy ass grabbing, whatever floats the boat. ;)

So what do you think, like hugging and if so, tell me what type of hug tempts you the most?

Saturday, March 20, 2010

What A Way To Start The Day...


So I suppose everyone has a way they like to start the day. Mine happens to be early, say 5:30 or 6:00am with a cup of coffee and making various stops along my Internet delights.

I love the quiet of the morning to read blogs, forums and emails. I do a little farming (yep, the hubby and I play farmville. A silly game for a couple of silly folks.)

My quiet morning me time gets me ready for the mom, wife and writer day to follow.

Not so this morning. This morning started with my Darling Diva, up before the morning sun, which really isn't a big deal as she'll check out the cartoons for a while and I will still get a bit of the private time just not as quiet.

If only things had gone like that. I flipped on the computer, wanting to get it started before I set the coffee to brewing, only to find a completely dark modem. With my endless supply of optimism ~choke, cof, cof~ I hope, and secretly pray that the little box has merely been unplugged.

Of course not.

It's dead and no amount of pleading on my part will bring it back. By now, my sweet husband had felt the invisible waves connecting us, or maybe it was a few of the choice words that had slipped past my lips, and is ready to help.

He futzes with the modem, the cord, the outlet. I call the Internet/modem people. He grumbles about no power, I mumble about expensive replacement modems.

We both wonder about our farms. Will they wither? LOL, the things you think of when confronted with no Internet.

He wonders aloud about some tool he could use to check the thing and I fret about missing a workshop.

It was all quite frustrating.

But guess what? The hubster digs though his electronic stash and finds some little tester thing and checks the cord. Questionable life in that baby. Could it be that a new cord is all it will take to give me back my connection and save me the almost $100 the Internet company quoted me for a new one?

I can only hope...

So one trip to my least favorite store later, we attach the new cord and BAM we have lights. Little green blips of happiness and I am once again able to connect to the Internet. Woot!!

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Happy St. Patrick's Day!


I just wanted to show everyone that I am indeed wearing my green today so I posted the wee little pic above. This is not to say, though, that I wouldn't enjoy a sweet pinch now and then! ;)

May your pockets be heavy and your heart be light,
May good luck pursue you each morning and night.
~Irish Blessing


May the Irish hills caress you.
May her lakes and rivers bless you.
May the luck of the Irish enfold you.
May the blessings of Saint Patrick behold you.
~Irish Blessing

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

Tuesday Temptation - Kiss of Fire by Deborah Cooke

It's Tue again and today I have a hot temptation.

Dragons

You heard me correctly, hot dragony goodness. It is probably no surprise that I love shapeshifting stories; nor is it a surprise to say that I love dragon stories, but together, oh my and sigh, I am a happy camper.

Kiss of Fire is one such story.

A dragon hero, good with his hands and a normal ~or is she~ mortal heroine, with her feet firmly on the ground must find their way together. Can they do it?

Besides it being such a sexy read, check out that cover. That is just....Tempting

Monday, March 15, 2010

Spring


Behold, my friends, the spring is come; the earth has gladly received the embraces of the sun, and we shall soon see the results of their love!
~Sitting Bull


I shared this wonderful quote over at Shapeshifter Seductions recently, but with the weather as it is today, I felt it needed to be shared again.

Have a softly smiling day.

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Wheee, I'm giddy!


Check out the awesome gift I got this morning from the incredible Savanna Kougar!

What a way to start the day! Bast, Mari and I thank you, my dear!

Author Discovery ~ THE CHALLENGE by Serena Shay

Blurb: Marina Jamison is a mystery. As a half-breed shapeshifter, she lives on the fringe of were-jaguar society. Though her love for pride leader Bastian LaRue is forbidden, she finds herself tied to him by a bond stronger than their individual wills, a psychic link born from their one-night stand. When her secret is revealed, she is scorned and excluded. Neither Bastian nor the pride can accept a half-breed queen.

~~~
Okay, admittedly I have a hankerin’ swoonin’ thing for Ms. Shay’s hero. When it comes to his tenderer feelings and his most ferocious erotic desires, I adore an alpha who stands his ground, and Bastion did not disappoint.

This were-jaguar leader obviously needs a good woman and he doesn’t bother going into macho denial when he finds his mate. No, he owns up to it—definitely my kind of hero and always such sexy-goodness when reading an erotic romance.

Yes, Bastion has a little dysfunction problem when Marina abandons him for a very good reason, a secret she has to keep. Still, it’s his heart that is truly craving his beautiful were-mate, not just his admirable ability to satisfy her over and over.

I could vividly see Bastion in my imagination, both in his human form and his were-jaguar form, given Ms. Shay’s lovely and powerful descriptive voice. And, I could feel him, his need for Marina and his devastation when he loses her.

In fact, one of the most enjoyable elements of this story, is the author’s imaginative use of description and how she seamlessly wove her were-world into the contemporary world.

While Bastion did make a male-silly mistake in winning back his Marina, in the end he was there for her. Absolutely, it did my heart good when Ms. Shay’s heroine found the ‘fight’ inside herself, and the two destined mates finally walked the right path back to each other.

~~~~~~
Savanna Kougar

Author of ~
All Shades of Blue Paradise ~ available Siren-BookStrand Publishing
Red Lioness Tamed ~ available Liquid Silver Books
When a Good Angel Falls ~ In Print ~ available Siren-BookStrand Publishing
Tangerine Carnal Dreams ~ available Aspen Mountain Press
Murder by Hair Spray in Gardenia, New Atlantis ~ In Print ~ available Siren-BookStrand Publishing
Black Cat Beauty ~ available Liquid Silver Books
Her Insatiable Dark Heroes ~ In Print ~ available Siren-BookStrand Publishing
Stallion of Ash and Flame ~ available Siren-BookStrand Publishing

Tuesday, March 9, 2010

Tuesday Temptation - An Epic Winner!



What can I tempt you with this Tuesday? How about the Best Western/Erotic Romance of 2009. Gem Sivad's Intimate Strangers is a powerful love story set in the Old West. Her characters are both flawed and fantastic, their love took work and their sex...was tempting!

Congrats for the win Gem! You deserve it, Intimate Strangers is wonderful!

Buy Intimate Strangers Here

Thursday, March 4, 2010

Bald Face Liar

Oh Alanna, I can't believe you went there! Why I never! Well, almost never... Okay, maybe a little... Sometimes... Oh hell, I do, every darn day, but it's called writing, baby!

So here's the deal, there are seven statements below and only two are true. Can you guess which ones?



1. I'm twenty-nine years old, again.
2. I was raised in a hippy commune.
3. I've been on every reality TV show there is and won them all.
4. I once added the Aerosmith logo to every window in my garage in order to win tickets to a concert.
5. I'm one of the survivors from the Titanic.
6. I taught Madonna everything she knows.
7. I'm an awesome liar!!

There ya have it, my creative ~bald face lies~ writing! Drop me a line and let me know which you think are true, then stop by the authors I've tagged to see if they too joined in the game...
Ann Lory * Crystal Kauffman * Francesca Hawley

Monday, March 1, 2010

Tuesday Temptation - Do You Flirt?

Flirt (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter, #18) Flirt by Laurell K. Hamilton


My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Another fabulous Anita Blake story. Should not be missed, but if you've never read any of the Anita series, treat yourself to the beginning stories. You won't be sorry! :)

View all my reviews >>

Welcome to this Tuesday's Temptation...
I've just finished reading Flirt by Laurell K. Hamilton and was again enthralled. I've been a fan of the Anita Blake series for some time now and continue to be thrilled with each new offering.

This time the story got me thinking about myself and flirting.

Do I flirt? Do I flirt well or, gasp, poorly. I don't really know the answer to those questions. I know that I don't bat my eyes or toss my hair, but I do have a quiet smile and I always look people in the eye when we speak. Is that flirting or just good manners?

Maybe it's time to ask my honey how well he thinks I do at flirting. ;)

What about you out there... Do you flirt?