I love it.

A contest for Mooncusser Cove

I know a lovely lady who recently showed me a handmade purple and amber colored handbag. My favorite colors! I like handbags. They always fit when I try one on. I bought it, of course, and asked her to make me a special bag as a give-a-way item for "Mooncusser Cove."

This custom-made bag was created in a non-smoking home, with love, by Bev! It is shades of blue with silver and black accents, including cute little moon and star dangles and a star-shaped key fob.

The photos don't do it justice! Incidentally, my daughter is the model and not ten minutes before I snapped the photos on our back deck (hence, the mess), she'd been out with the horse, and was a bit grubby.

How to win this fabulous bag? How to win what I'll stuff it with? Why enter my contest, of course!

1) Join my Google Group! (optional...but...please do!)
2) Fill in the missing words: Born in 1863 to a wealthy coastal family, Vesper Highgate-Adaire was well on her way to becoming a first-rate ______ just like her mother. A ______of boots and brass off the bodies of wrecked sailors, in accordance with family traditions—the traditions of the Mooncusser clan. Traditions that changed after the wrecking of a ship befouled by an accursed sea captain—who in his twisted rage, shared his curse with the clan.

(Hint: you can Google the portion of the blurb in red.)

Survey Form

Name and email address What words are missing from the blurb?

This contest will run September 10-20. I'll announce the winners once I awaken from my lap-band surgery induced painkiller and anesthesia fog :)

One entry per email address, please.

And don't forget to buy your copy of Mooncusser Cove on September 17th (on sale 7pm Eastern)! Just think how happy I'll be to awaken from surgery on the 19th to happy, happy, joy, joy readers emailing me with well-wishes and praises of my new book! (Hint Hint)

Thank you,

Darragha

And April stepped in....

Leave it to April Martinez, the finest cover artist in all of e-bookdom to tweak one of my ads and make it sooooo much better.

I added the web addy. The rest is all April.

Bless her for taking the time!

Darr

Soft, cool moss and lovin' upon it

he put her down on soft cool moss
at the paling of the sky
the cool morning air
encompassing them
the shifter and his lady

lips pressing
tongues speaking
the sensual language of love
lives fusing on the loom of fate
a thread without an ending

like a distant harp
playing the winds of chance
making the streams of time unite
each stroke, each touch, each gentle caress

a symphony of early desires
and lives forever joined

pleasures deep

vibrations strong
to rock the very earth
the rhythmical, ancient magic
of the animal passion in us all

she cried aloud as he loosed her soul

and stole the treasures there
and with her swaying beneath his weight
they knew each other well

and so it was between them

of love so bold and spirits joined
by flesh and conscious binding
that even time could never
sever the bonds
of their reuniting

I wrote this poem, which my cousin set to music, a literal dark age ago. I wish you could hear Rod play it on his guitar. I must figure out how to upload a sound byte! Anywho..."The Orca King, II" uses snippets of this poem in the story. The naughty snippets. The above-poem has been modified from its original version--which was entitled "The Lady and the Bard" and was heavily tied into an unfinished tale of mine. Someday...

Here are some title idea for TOKII. I like the bolded titles best. What's your opinion?

Holding On for Deer Life (I'm kidding)

Magic Happens

An Avenue of the Heart

Bridging Gaps

The Bridge

By Her Scent Alone

Ruling the King

Exposing the Man, the Myth, the King

Man, Myth, King, Snark

Debunking the King

Magic Time

The Book Snark (The Orca King, II)

The Book Snark: An Orca King Tale

Man, Myth, Snark

Spoiler!

I'm using a "spoiler font" below to share a naughty excerpt from "The Orca King, II" which still doesn't have a "real" title yet. I'm pretty sure this scene will be re-written a bit, as it's kind of clunky, but what the heck: Enjoy! You do know how to work a spoiler font....right? (scroll your mouse down and highlight the big "white space" -- there's text hidden there)

Rule clenched her fists. I wish I could write! I hope I live to remember this! This would make one hell of a paranormal erotic romance.

Tommy encircled his lips around Tavis’ flaccid penis.

Rule thought she’d orgasm on the spot. She clenched her legs. It’s like watching Yaoi in the making, and it is freakin’ exciting! But neither of them is gay. Even better!

Tavis moaned again and gingerly moved one of his hands to Tommy’s head. Rule could see Tavis’ shaft swelling with each stroke of Tommy’s mouth. Tommy had good technique. When Tavis was fully erect, he pumped his strong right hand around the shaft so that the sensitive penile head could be quickly caressed in this mouth.

“You’re enjoying this, aren’t you? I can see your bulge from here,” Rule said.

Tommy lifted his mouth from Tavis’ penis. “It’s not about that—but yes, I am enjoying it.”

“Well, I’m enjoying it. Are you going to do him, too? Roll him over and give him what-for?” Rule asked.

Admitting to a crush

I think Anthony Bourdain of Food Network and The Travel Channel fame is freakin' handsome. He is the "bad boy" I'd like to write about someday. He is so deliciously naughty. I DVR "No Reservations." If he didn't smoke, he would be perfect. However, the ciggies only ad to his "bad boy" image.

He is hysterically evil. A snark of cooks.

I loved his No Reservations in Iceland. As an Icelandophile, I relish the adventurous palates of those who try the rather uniquely gruesome traditional dishes of descendants of Vikings.

more ad proofs

How about these ones?

Ad Sense

Left= Ad No. 1
Right= Ad No. 2

Which ad catches your eye first?
Which ad would make you say, "Hey, I'm going to go buy that book right now!"
Which ad makes you wonder if there are nekkid land pirates ravaging coastal shores?

Please vote in the poll to your right.

Thanks!

Darr

Excerpt: The Orca King, II

Tommy smiled slyly. "I suppose, beings that I am the perfect romance novel hero, that I should say make love to me, Rule. Make love to me and the world will fall into place as the stars move across the heavens. But that wouldn't really help the situation now, would it? I kind of think an old-fashioned ass whooping is in order, actually."

Rule shook her head. "Yeah, no. It wouldn’t help. I am fresh out of magic vaginas. No part of me save my wit and willingness will help you stop the slaughter of deer on this island."

"How's your bladder working these days?" Tommy asked. "I need to leave a scent trail that will force the deer onto Mt. Constitution. Where we met, that fire break re-christened Lover's Lane, is where I need to finish, you know, to close the circle I've been making that will force the deer away from the cull-zone.” Tommy paused, the words at the tip of his tongue. “Rule, would you like to urinate in the forest with me tonight?"

"I'm not into water sports." Rule laughed nervously. Tommy didn't seem to get her joke.

"I don't mean it to sound crass or strange--but human urine will scare away deer. Not all of the deer on this island are magical beasts."

“If you’re the alpha stag, why can’t you just order them to Mt. Constitution?” Rule asked.

“Because they are deer. You can’t reason with deer. You have to get them to act instinctively.”

Hell cat

Photo caption: Hi. I'm Teague. I'm 12 weeks old and nothing is sacred. And I mean


N O T H I N G.

Of Flesh and Blood-April Martinez has got us covered

Coming in October from Liquid Silver Books
A vampire trilogy "Of Flesh and Blood"

From Darragha Foster: Polishing Saber
These ain't your mama's Carpathians, baby!

From Tina Holland: Dealing with the Dead
Vampires, Werewolves and Zombies - OH MY

From Celine Chatillion: Blood Betrayal
One fatal night in Istanbul will change Vlad's afterlife forever. Can he abide a "Blood Betrayal?"

I am officially not crazy

I passed the psych eval necessary as a part of the pre-op scenario before having lapband surgery today. I realize many of you might disagree as to the status of my mental health, but if nothing else, I can share this: NOT telling a psychologist that you enjoy covering yourself in green Jel-O is a good thing :)

I have a tentative date of September 19th scheduled. After tomorrow, after I meet the surgeon and he determines whether or not I need a sleep study, the date will get set in stone.

Darr

Currently reading....

I am currently reading Roxy Harte's "Sacred Revelations" the sequel to "Sacred Secrets." Roxy's writings bring out such strong emotions in me. I think that's the point of her books, too.

I'm also reading "Plenty: a year of eating locally." Not sure I could give up coffee, which is far from local unless you live where it is grown. No coffee is the same problem I had with Sacred Secrets. The heroine in that book had to give up coffee, too. I was screaming, "Give that woman her cup of coffee!" at my computer screen. By the time I finish "Plenty" I bet the author's husband will have screamed the same phrase a time or two.

Coffee. The tie that binds.

Darr

I am so loving this book!

Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert.

Page one, I was laughing out loud.
By page 33, I was sitting in the bathroom (the only place I ever get a chance to read sometimes) giggling, and my family was outside the door asking "What are you doing in there?" To which I replied, "Reading!"

Reading this book is like eating a rich, delicate pastry and drinking espresso with all the bills paid, the kids asleep and a private butler named "Giovonni" at your beck and call on a fabulous cruise.

I am completely in love with this book. I was turning down pages to mark passages I liked, then gave up on that and grabbed my trusty highlighter. Here's one of my favorites:

"In Venice in the Middle Ages there was once a profession for a man called a codega--a fellow you hired to walk in front of you at night with a lit lantern, showing you the way, scaring off thieves and demons, brining you confidence and protection through the dark streets."

I could write a whole novella about a "Codega." One little passage in this book and I learn something new and run with it. Now that's a good book!

So, darlings, if you don't want to read something I've written (ah, please?) then PLEASE consider Eat, Pray, Love.

So, what's new?

The contest days are past. I'm back at the day job. I go for my lapband surgical consult next week.

The Orca King, II is at 20,000 words and is progressing nicely. :)

What's new with you?

Darr

July 31

This is it! The final question for July! We made it! I have to go back to the day job now! Good thing I've nearly finished The Orca King, II and turned in my final edits on Mooncusser Cove and Polishing Saber! WOOT!

Today's winner wins a book by Jamie Craig!

What movie is this from?

When I was growing up, I knew I was different. The other girls were blonde and delicate, and I was a swarthy six-year-old with sideburns.

I soooo relate to this quote, being what one of my uncles used to call "a hairy little Arab." My father is Egyptian/Syrian/Irish. Man, all my life I've had enough black hair to wrap three or four kids in.

Enjoy! And check back tomorrow because I've another month-long event starting!

Darr

July 30

What movie are these two lines from:

"Friend, some of your folding money has come unstowed."

and

"Oh, George, not the livestock."

Today's winner, on this 30th day, wins Thirty Days by Shayla Kersten!