Friday WTF?: Sexual Revolution of 2012

I've been paying particular attention to the ridiculous amount of debate going on in Congress about women's reproductive rights not just because I'm a woman, but also because I have four daughters. In an article on Yahoo news, it's been pointed out that while Hugh Hefner has made valid statements, he's not the best person to speak on the behalf of women's rights. Seriously? Who else would be sympathetic to women than a man surrounded by them daily? Don't you think all those girlfriends have let him know exactly how women think? The author of the article, Jeff Stacklin, quotes Laura Donovan from The Jane Dough as saying: 

"Though many argue he had a role in the sexual revolution and provided lots of opportunities for women, he also sends the message that it’s acceptable to juggle multiple significant others at once, all the while objectifying them publicly."

Okay, I'll freely admit that not so many years ago I would have fully agreed with her. However, my views on sex have changed drastically. I've come to the realization that I'm a consenting adult and no one can make me feel like a sexual being if I don't want to. In my opinion, Hef's girlfriends aren't forced to be anywhere near him. And I honestly don't think their proximity should affect the way he's seen as an ally on this issue. Hell, I think we need all the allies we can get.

WWWW: A Puzzling Dilemma

I've been addicted to puzzles of all kinds most of my life. I have a collection of completed jigsaw puzzles gathering dust beneath my bed, and a box of various puzzles sitting behind me on my office floor. So, discovering an online outlet for my addiction was a really, really bad thing. It's the ultimate time-suck. Not only can I do various themes but the site even offers a multitude of cuts for each puzzle. It's amazing and horrible at the same time. I can't get other stuff done once I click on the site, and I'm too weak to resist visiting at least once daily. Honestly, it's worse than Twitter and Facebook combined because it actually relaxes me. I've written almost a complete book in my head while mindlessly completing a puzzle

 Now I need to wrap up this post and go do a puzzle!

Benefit Today For Ali

As a mom one of my biggest fear is losing my children. This can happen in many forms, but the idea of one of them disappearing without a trace is absolutely horrifying. So when this happened so close to home it not only brought tears to my eyes, but made me angry. How dare someone take one of the children in my neighborhood? It's been two years and Ali still hasn't been found.

"On April 26, 2010 Ali got off the school bus at about 3:00 PM and walked to her new job a few blocks from home. There has been no communication with her since. This page represents her family, friends, loved ones and outstanding supporters determined to find her and bring her home to her beloved family."

Today there will be a benefit to help raise money for the continued search for Ali. If you're in the Houston are, I encourage you to attend. It's a family event with food and fun. Pets are also welcome.

https://www.facebook.com/events/215584365209201/

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Friday WTF?: My Time is Your Time

First, I'm going to go ahead and confess that I completely forgot to write this post yesterday. So, for the one person who actually reads my posts at 6 AM CST when they're usually scheduled...sorry.
Anyway, I'm going to bitch about Comcast this morning because they've ruined my whole day. Amazingly enough it wasn't even a bad customer service call that pissed me off. I've given up calling customer service for any company that offers online chat. It's just so much easier to read the words than try to decipher them by voice. So when I chatted with Comcast (Xfinity, whatever) online Wednesday, I actually got pretty great service. What thoroughly pissed me off is that my service call for today is from 8AM to 8PM. Let me break that down, I have to be home and available for the technician for TWELVE FUCKING HOURS. What's even more ridiculous is the whole thing is entirely their fault. Back at the end of January when I moved and had my service turned on, they left a cable hanging over my back fence and running into the neighbor's yard. They also left a large (major?) cable running along my back fence.
Now, to be honest, I don't even care. It's weird but not that much of an eyesore. I never go back there anyway. The hubs on the other hand bitches about it at least once every two weeks when he mows the lawn. With the rain we've had and probably more coming soon, he'll be mowing weekly in no time. That means I'll have to listen to him and that really sucks. So, I told them they needed to come bury the cables they were supposed to shortly after turning on my service the last weekend of January. They said, sure no problem, but you gotta wait around for TWELVE FUCKING HOURS for us to do it. For what? I sure as hell hope they don't expect me to make lemonade.

WWWW: How Cool is This?!

It's a seven minute video, but well worth watching. How cool is it that the Arlington Police Department stepped up to the plate to make a 7 year old leukemia patient's wish come true? I found this article posted in the Houston Chronicle explaining Kye's wish to be Batman for the day. It just amazes me how they pulled it off. 

Do You Know Melissa Aires?

Today I'm happy to have another Melissa on my blog! Welcome Melissa :-)


Meet My Heroine! Svana Morgas, a medium height, medium build, dishwater blond hair, brown eyed, forty-something woman. My new release, Refugees On Urloon, is a science fiction romance set on an exotic waterworld. Like many scifi books, there is a galactic war, and my heroine Svana is affected by it. But Svana is not what you might be expecting. She is not a kick-ass heroine, with blasters strapped to her hips, taking out the alien invaders with high kicks, gymnastic evasions and sharp shooter skills.. She's a middle aged supply clerk. She's a survivor. She's a single mom. As a young wife on an agricultural world, Svana lost a husband and two small children when the Asha invaded. Refugee camps, relocation, work in munitions factories on industrial worlds followed as she dragged her surviving child from place to place, seeking a stable life. Finally, Junia is grown and safe, living and working as a chemist in a huge munitions complex. Svana becomes a military support staff--a non-military trained worker with mundane responsibilities-- managing a warehouse of supplies on a Academy Training vessel used to train students in Ship Command. She never expected to be flung across space in the backlash of a powerful weapon. You can read Svana's story in Refugees On Urloon,

*Lyrical Press*

Amazon*

ARe*

Fictionwise*

BLURB:

Two weary refugees, two moons and a life-changing fertility festival. Watch out for a whole lot of sensuality. 
Under normal circumstances, Svana, non-military maintenance crew, and Captain Liam Ringel, a highly respected military instructor, would never have crossed paths. A sudden anomaly, however, thrusts them into deep space where they are rescued by the inhabitants of an exotic and isolated waterworld, Urloon. 

With no rescue forthcoming, the refugees can choose between adapting to the sea or farming the land. Svana is saddened when her budding friendship with Liam changes due to their different choices. However, when they are invited to an alien fertility festival, the Moonfest, they are given the opportunity to create a memory that will impact and intertwine both their futures. 

WARNING: Alien fertility festival, aurora lights, dancing alien beasts, body paints and hot pheromones. M/F Sensual.

More information can be found on my   Refugees On Urloon Celebration Blog Tour!
  Thanks for having me, Missy! 
-Melisse Aires

Friday WTF?: Ouch!

If you're anything like me, when you peruse the news articles online you spend more time reading the comments than the article itself. Usually the comments are highly entertaining either in how badly they are written, or in how passionate some people can get over nothing (in my opinion). However, when I read this article from The Daily Caller on Yahoo Tuesday, I have to admit quite a few of the comments made sense. The writer of the article appears to be female and she wrote about a male victim of a serious injury. I won't spell it out here but basically his ex-girlfriend ripped his nuts off. OUCH! Unfortunately I'm totally serious, this really did happen. Even more unfortunate is how this writer chose to "report" the incident. Now, I know nothing about The Daily Caller. Perhaps this is the type of writing style they prefer to draw readers in. But I do find it unfortunate that the male victim is now the butt of horrible jokes over such a serious injury. As many comments pointed out, if the victim had been a woman who suffered like injuries not many people would have found it funny.

WWWW: This Dad is Doing it Right

Most everyone who even glances at the internet from time to time heard of the father who shot up his daughter's laptop and posted it on Facebook. There was a huge outpouring of support for his tactic as well as quite a few critics. However, I found this photo and article in the Houston Chronicle on Tuesday and have to wonder why it hasn't gone viral yet. The article mentions a psychologist who claims this sort of humiliating punishment doesn't work. I call bullshit on his claim. I guarantee if I ever had cause to make my daughters do something of this nature, they would never commit the crime again. And why is that? Not just because this punishment is humiliating. But also because it fits the crime to some degree and my daughters would realize there are dire consequences to those actions. I think what a lot of parents don't realize, or forget, is that children sometimes just need to know there ARE CONSEQUENCES! Maybe because the parents were never held accountable for their actions, or still aren't as adults.

Do You Know Tina Donahue? (CONTEST)

Do You Like Heat with Heart?

That’s my brand – “Heat with Heart” – it’s what I try to convey in all of my erotic romances. Sizzling love scenes and an emotional pull between the characters that will leave you breathless, sighing and yes, sometimes even crying.

I love when a romance moves me to laughter or tears…when it has me sighing or bitching about something that’s happened to the main characters. In other words, I love to be involved.

Sinfully Wicked is my second contemporary ménage. IMHO it’s even hotter than SiNN, my first ménage. Sinfully Wicked explores betrayal, forgiveness, those awful teen years we all want to forget and the unbreakable bond between three people that stands the test of time.

Here’s the blurb. Enjoy.  J

Two brothers—one woman—unforgettable passion…

Years before Nikki fell in love with Mitch and Connor, betraying them as only a high school girl could. Now, she’s back and needs their help.

Powerful and commanding, Mitch has never stopped craving Nikki. Connor hungers for her as badly, but isn’t ready to forgive. If she needs some fast cash by working at their gentlemen’s club, she’ll have to audition by stripping for them.

Aroused by their shameless scrutiny, Nikki’s willing to do whatever it takes to be near them again…even being punished in the BDSM room or starring in one of Connor’s erotic films. Mitch won’t have it, unless he and Connor are the ones mounting and enjoying her.

On a sultry weekend, Nikki surrenders to their lust, dominance and exquisite discipline, reawakening their timeless bond and the beginning of forgiveness.

Buy Link (with excerpt): http://www.jasminejade.com/p-9983-sinfully-wicked.aspx

Tina Donahue is an award-winning, bestselling novelist in erotic, paranormal, contemporary and historical romance for Ellora’s Cave, Samhain Publishing and Kensington. Booklist, Publisher’s Weekly, Romantic Times and numerous online sites have praised her work; she has reached finals and/or placed in numerous RWA–sponsored contests. Three of her erotic novels were named finalists in the 2011 EPIC competition. Sensual Stranger, her erotic romance, was chosen Book of the Year 2010 (erotic category) at the French review site, Blue Moon reviews. The Golden Nib Award at Miz Love Loves Books was created specifically for her erotic romance Lush Velvet Nights; and Deep, Dark, Delicious (erotic romance) recently received an Award of Merit in the RWA Holt Medallion competition (2011). Tina is featured in the 2012 Novel & Short Story Writer’s Market. She was the editor of an award–winning Midwestern newspaper and worked in Story Direction for a Hollywood production company.

Email: tina@tinadonahue.com

Website/blog: www.tinadonahue.com

Twitter: http://twitter.com/tinadonahue

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000458023097

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000458023097

  

*** CONTEST ***

To celebrate the release of Sinfully Wicked, I’m offering a contest. One lucky commenter on this blog will have her choice of one of my following ebooks**:

1.            Adored – RWA award-winning; EPIC 2011 Finalist; 4 Stars RT

2.            Deep, Dark, Delicious – EPIC 2011 Finalist; Holt Medallion Award of Merit

3.            Lush Velvet Nights – EPIC 2011 Finalist; Golden Nib Award

4.            In His Arms – SIX 5 Star Reviews; 4 Stars RT

5.            Sensual Stranger – 2010 Book of the Year (erotic); 4 Stars RT

6.            The Yearning – Top Ten Bestseller

7.            Take Me Away - #1 Pick, Miz Love Loves Books

8.            Unending Desire – Best Book Rating LASR

** Winner chosen at random. Winner chosen April 9.

And the Winner is...

First I'd like to thank everyone for following along on my blog tour for Two Dates Max. I had a lot of fun writing the book, and reading your thoughts on the story has been awesome. Second, I'm sorry I don't have enough prizes for everyone. Some of you are very loyal and I sincerely appreciate it. I plan to keep giving stuff away all year.
So, without further ado, the grand prize winner of the tote full of books pictured to the left is...
Fedora! CONGRATULATIONS!!!!
She was a wonderful blog hopper, commenting 15 separate times. It's no wonder random.org chose her, lol.

And the Prize is...

So, if you've been following along on my Two Dates Max blog tour then you know there's a grand prize at the end. Right? Well, there is. I finally got off my bottom and took a photo of it so everyone can know what's up for grabs. If you haven't left a single comment yet and decide you want in, it's not too late. Go to the schedule listed here and click on any date to leave a comment before 10 am CST tomorrow, Wednesday, April 4th. I will announce the winner at noon.