Wednesday, January 23, 2013
Friday, January 18, 2013
We've Come a Long Way, Baby
I was talking to teen #2 a couple of days ago and she mentioned how one of her classmates said she was bi(sexual). She said this in the same tone of voice she would have mentioned someone's new Iphone or what she had for lunch that day. What surprised me the most wasn't that a teenager in high school would admit to her friends and classmates that's she's bi, or even the fact that she is bi, but that she knows that. I remember in middle school a very loud and obnoxious girl asked me if I was (don't remember the term she used but she rocked her hand side to side, palm flat facing downward), or if I liked boys. At first I had no clue what she was even talking about but then someone clarified by asking if I liked girls. Everyone around us laughed and humiliated the hell out of me. I told her of course I liked boys just none in our school.
When I was that age and even into high school it was still taboo to be anything but heterosexual, or at least to admit it out loud. There was one girl in the class below me who was admittedly a lesbian. I had no problem with her, actually hung out with her a few times, but there were many others who did and were very vocal about it. I remember thinking they were idiots but I never said anything. I treated her the same as I would treat anyone else, but never defended the bad stuff I heard because I didn't think she would care. Also, I was kind of confused. At that age (somewhere between 14 and 17) I really only knew there were certain guys I thought were cute. But for the most part they were all immature assholes. I had no idea if I liked girls or not. I just didn't think about it all.
The fact is, I wasn't really, truly secure in my heterosexuality until after my teenage years. Perhaps if I had given it real thought I would have known for certain earlier but I didn't. Sure my friends told dirty jokes and there were some talking about having sex from time to time. But we weren't really a group that focused on our sexual preferences. We wanted to have fun, listen to music, watch movies, hang out, and just generally be teenagers doing teenage things. Hell, I didn't even smoke pot. Some may think I missed out but I certainly don't.
So, what I'd like to know is are we helping or hurting our kids by being so open minded and openly discussing sexual preferences now? I have an uncle who is gay and I still remember the day I found out. I was shocked but then once my initial reaction wore off I realized it really didn't matter. I went on my merry little way and didn't think any differently of him than before. I just understood why he had that male friend that had always been around my whole life.
I want my kids to just be kids for as long as they can because frankly, adulthood sucks. I don't want them to have to worry about adult things until they are adults. To me, teenage years are full of enough concerns. Why worry about sexual preferences when you're too young to worry about having sex? I've been very honest with all of my girls. I know they're going to have sex, I'm not an idiot. But I've told them of the complications and dramatics it will entail. So I kind of wish teen #2's friend had just kept that info to herself because it really isn't anyone's business. But now that we're such an info based society I don't think there's such a thing as personal boundaries on that kind of info anymore.
Damn shame if you ask me.
Wednesday, January 16, 2013
Do You Know Jocelyn Dex? (contest)
You may have noticed I love hosting other authors here, though I don't do it on a regularly set schedule. But what's even better than hosting random authors? Hosting my sisters from the same wonderful publisher! Please welcome Jocelyn Dex.
Hi. I’m Jocelyn Dex. Araya’s Addiction, an erotic paranormal romance, is my debut short novel. It features “Sempires”, a species of female demon that requires semen to survive. I’m totally excited to share the blurb, the cover and an excerpt with you today.
Araya’s Addiction Blurb
When Kean wakes up naked, collared and locked in a cell, he knows thinking with his dick has finally gotten him into trouble. Kean, part Incubus, enjoys scorching and frequent sex. One night, he finds himself a prisoner forced to help a Sempire rescue her daughter from certain death.
To gain his freedom, Kean must provide Araya with his semen to save her life, but she refuses it, even though the lust between them is undeniable. Determined to escape and to help Araya, Kean ups the stakes and forces Araya into a situation that makes it impossible for her to continue refusing him. Feeling betrayed, Araya enacts a scheme to get Kean out of her life. Her best laid plans may awaken emotions that will bind them to each other forever.
Araya’s Addiction Excerpt
Kean’s body ached in ways he’d never experienced—a burning, piercing agony. A groan escaped his lips as a cooling sensation comforted his neck, then his brow. He struggled to remember what he’d done to make himself feel so horrible. Had he pulled a massive drunk and this was the worst hangover of his life?
“Are you awake?” A small, feminine voice asked.
Wait. Had he brought a female home with him? No. He didn't bring females to his home. He went to theirs so he could get out when he wanted. He must be hung over at his latest conquest’s home. Why couldn't he remember anything? He struggled to open his eyes. Damn things felt glued together.
He growled as soon as his eyes focused on the frail female bent over him and the memories flooded back to him. What the hell had happened? What had the demon done to him? And wait, why was she wiping him down with a damp cloth?
“What’d you do to me?” he croaked.
Her eyes widened. “Nothing,” she said in a small voice, the weakness in it unmistakable.
“Bullshit.” He tried to sit up but his head pounded and spun so he stayed down.
“You’ll feel better soon. Just don’t try to hurt me again.”
She stood on shaky legs and ambled to the bed where she selected a pillow and brought it back to where he lay. She wore nothing but a short green satin robe. She helped him lift his head enough to slide the pillow under and then placed the damp cloth across his forehead.
The small effort she’d made seemed to have exhausted her. She sat on the floor a couple feet from him, knees pulled to her chest, her chin resting on her knees and her breathing strained. He could snap her in half with two fingers.
“What’s your name?” she asked him.
He ignored her question. “Shouldn’t you be scared right now?”
Her lips lifted at the corners. “Scared of what? A helpless, naked man laid out on my floor?”
Oh yeah. He forgot he was naked. Hell, she could at least look a little embarrassed. But helpless? Him? Hell no. His male pride forced him to stand even though every muscle in his body screamed in protest, and his head felt as if an ice pick was being shoved into his gray matter.
He swayed on his feet, but damn it he’d stay standing if it killed him. “Kean.” He answered her earlier question through gritted teeth.
She clucked her tongue as she stood. To his satisfaction, she also swayed, although he didn’t know why.
“I’m Araya. Why don’t you have a seat before you fall?” she suggested. “I think I’ll do the same.” She moved to the bed and lay on her side facing him.
He chose the chair closest to him, not because it looked most comfortable, but because he felt he would collapse at any second.
Again he asked, “What did you do to me?”
She sighed. “It’s the collar. As long as you don’t try to harm me or my family, you won’t experience that pain again.” She frowned. “You’re stronger than the others. They were out for at least an hour. You were only out for fifteen minutes.”
Others? How many others had Talith brought here? And why? The girl was not a goddess like Talith, but she wasn’t so unattractive that no man would submit to her without being abducted and collared. And her eyes… The golden color mesmerized him. He would fuck her if the circumstances of their meeting were different. He should have known mother Sempire wouldn’t leave him alone with her daughter totally unprotected.
“What’s wrong with you?” He didn’t give a shit, but he needed to gather all the information he could.
She grimaced. “It doesn’t matter.”
“It matters to me. I’m the one who was abducted, collared and locked in this room with you.”
“I’m sorry about that,” she said. The sincerity in her voice surprised him. “My mother is determined to help me.”
“And my semen will help you?”
Finally, she blushed.
I’m offering a prize pack to one person (U.S. & Canada).
• A $5 Amazon gift card
• An Araya’s Addiction Trading Card
• A “Demons do it Better” Koozie
• A surprise $10 Gift Card
Leave a comment with your email address to win!
Leave a comment with your email address to win!
Here’s where you can find me on the web. I’d love it if you’d like me, fan me, follow me, etc. Ha. Being a new author, I could use the love.
Website: www.jocelyndex.com
Twitter: @jocelyndex
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/Jocelyn_Dex
Thursday, January 10, 2013
New Release!
It's finally here! My first release of 2013 is now available as an ebook from Ellora's Cave Publishing here. It's a part of their Blush line, but don't let that deter you. I promise there is still some steamy lovin' between Elle and Hank, just not as much as in my other books.
It's the third in my Love Beyond Barriers series but can definitely be read alone. The story of Elle and Hunky Hank is one that just flowed through my fingers with relative ease. I had a great time writing it, though there were a couple of emotional moments. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.
Blurb:
Blush sensuality level: This is a sensual romance (may have explicit love scenes, but not erotic in frequency or type).
Book three in the Love Beyond Barriers series.
A few months ago I finally moved on with my life and got away from my abusive ex-boyfriend. That should be a good thing, right? But now I’m living with Hunky Hank, my ex’s former friend turned my Knight in Shining Armor. He’s great at everything and treats me like a queen. Unfortunately that makes me feel needy when I’m trying to be more independent. When I need to be more independent. So when I started getting vibes of another woman, I knew it was time to move out and move on. So much easier said than done. It’s not so easy to leave behind the temptation of the most perfect guy I’ve ever known. He’s the only one who looks at me and instead of seeing a shattered image, he sees someone who is too hard to break.
A Blush® romance from Ellora’s Cave
Other books in this series:
Monday, January 7, 2013
New Release Blog Tour This Week!
I have a new release later this week (YAY!), and I'm ridiculously excited about it. It's the first release of 2013 but I don't plan on letting it be the last. To celebrate I'm going on a blog tour starting Wednesday (Jan. 9) and going through Monday (Jan. 14). Some of the posts include giveaways, some don't. To be honest I don't remember which is which. So if you want some cool swag, including a deck of cards from Ellora's Cave, you'll have to check them ALL out. ;-)
Wednesday, Jan. 9th:
Thursday, Jan 10th (Release Day!):
Friday, Jan 11th:
Monday, Jan. 14th:
And don't forget, if you want to meet me in person I'll be at Katy Budget Books on January 19th signing Day Shift and They Call Me Death.
Tuesday, January 1, 2013
2013: Let's Do This!
Are you ready for a whole new year? I think I am. I've already got quite a bit planned. My driver's license expires this year, my oldest graduates from high school, and I want to publish more books than I have to date. We'll see how far I get.
Usually I write a list of resolutions. I think this time I'm going to call them goals instead.
- So far I've never published more than three books in a year. My goal for 2013 is one per quarter. So that would be four total.
- I did pretty well last year as far as eating better and starting a walking regiment, but I seriously slacked off in December. My goal is to walk at least a mile a day during the week and cut down on the sweets. Yes, even chocolate (shudders).
- I surpassed my reading goal in 2011 of 100 books, but fell short in 2012 of 150. I'm going to split the difference and set this year's goal at 225. However, I'm going to step outside of my comfort zone this year and split that total up into more than just Romance.
- Like many writers and social media junkies I spend most of my time at my computer. I really need to step out into the fresh air more. My goal is to take my girls to the park at least once a week, or at least play around with them in the backyard. Believe it or not, this will most likely be my hardest goal.
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!!
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