Auld Lang Syne

In the middle of the journey of our life I found myself astray in a dark wood where the straight road had been lost. -- Dante

Chakotay: If you always see the road ahead of you it's not worth the trip

This is what I am pondering today. My road has been bumpy as Hell in 2007 and here I am but hours away from 2008. But where those rises I encountered and seemingly surpassed truly so difficult that I am battle-weary and scarred going into the new year?

• I had major surgery to benefit my health;
• I had two books come out, both of which pleased me greatly to write;
• My husband's kidney disease went into remission;
• My daughter got a horse and thereby, we have driven the road to BB Stable every day since February--sometimes more than once;
• We got to spend time with Thordur Bjorn, my dear Icelandic love (husband of Helga Dis, father of Thula Katrin and Esja)
• 2007 marks the 30th year of friendship with Thordur's father, Siggi, and his wife, Annalisa, also of Iceland. Holy crap I'm getting old! It was the tail-end of 1977 when I first wrote Siggi;
• We remodeled my office and the daughter's bedroom;
• I lost Kitty-Girl after 18 years, but gained Teague, the Hell-cat;

Doesn't seem too adventurous or treacherous, heh? It's the things written between the lines that caused me woe this year. And I am making concerted efforts to amend my personal actions which caused me and mine distress in 2007. Hey! Change is good! It's uncomfortable, but damn...change is soooo good.

Here's to embracing the changes of 2008! Come hill and valley and forceful blockade, I am armed and ready. Bring it freakin' on.

May those who read this experience boundless joy, peace, security and good circumstances in 2008.

Darr

Ho! Ho! Ho!

Buy an e-copy of "Mooncusser Cove," a twisted, bizarre, macabre tale (oooo....just like real life!) for yourself or a friend and receive three free tarot readings! Like I said on the Romance Studio drawings and give-aways page...one for you...one for your friend...and one for that male model you have shackled in your closet :)

Gift the gift of Darragha this holiday season. If you aren't hanged, drawn and quartered by your friends, enemies and/or hellatives for sending them a download of an erotic romance, you might just be the hero/heroine of the year! You never know what they're going to like! This truly is the gift for the person who has everything else!

Darr

PS Don't forget to forward your Moonie receipt to me at darragha @ gmail. com (no spaces) with a question for YOUR reading :)

Next!

Jodi wins the ebook and reading! Jodi...come on down!

Next question: What's the movie title, buckaroo? Today's winner receives an ebook download from the Darragha collection.

Time counts and keeps countin', and we knows now finding the trick of what's been and lost ain't no easy ride. But that's our trek, we gotta' travel it. And there ain't nobody knows where it's gonna' lead. Still in all, every night we does the tell, so that we 'member who we was and where we came from... but most of all we 'members the man that finded us, him that came the salvage. And we lights the city, not just for him, but for all of them that are still out there. 'Cause we knows there come a night, when they sees the distant light, and they'll be comin' home.

My daughter and her horse

Another day, another question

Stephanie wins the two free readings!

Today's question is:

Who said this line, and what movie is it from? And if you like said movie, what's your favorite quote from it? (no post the entire script, darlings!)

Screws just fall out all the time, the world is an imperfect place.

Today's winner will receive a free ebook from the Darragha collection AND free tarot reading. It just gets better, huh?

Darr

Thursday Trivia

Lesliejane wins the free ebook for answering Wednesday's trivia correctly!

Today's trivia is:

What's the name of the historical romance novel that featured a heroine with three arms (gotta love an art department kicking coffee, huh?)

Today's winner will receive two free tarot readings. One for you and one for a friend! Or two for you. :)

Darr

Trivia time!

Post which movie the quote is from to win a cookie. Don't want a cookie? All right...I'll choose one winner from all the correct answers to win an e-copy of one of my books. Really soon! So, what movie is this from:


Dr. Ngegitigegitibaba: It has won the Poo-litzer Prize and it hasn't even been poo-blished yet!

Elliot Richards: Thank you, Dr. Ngegitigegitibaba!

M/M on BBCAmerican

I don't know what to think about Capt. Jack Harkness on Torchwood. He is freakishly mysterious, handsome, and seems to enjoy sexual relations with males and females of both earthly and otherworldly persuasions. In the episode "Captain Jack Harkness" we find out that he isn't really Capt. Jack, but that the dude he's embracing is the real "Capt. Jack." Long story, of his life during 1941. Capt. Jack is apparently, immortal.





Immortal--and loved by many. Here's the embrace between him and one of his employees when he "returns from the dead."



But this guy has more of a father/son relationship with Capt. Jack.

I can't wait until January to find out more! Gods bless BBCAmerica for Torchwood!



"Fluid Sexuality" is how Wikipedia described "Torchwood." I guess this video says it all.

Cinnamon in the sewers

At an environmental/women's action meeting last January in Anacortes, Washington, an official for the town informed us that the most prevalent compounds in the sewers of Anacortes for November and December were cinnamon, vanilla, caffeine and Prozac. I would not want the job of determining what, besides what's expected to be in the sewers, is down there. But it's good to know that more holiday baking is going on than the consumption of Prozac!

Now, where are my cookies?

Darr :)

On a wish and in my hands for prayers!

I just found what I want for Christmas! New Buddhist prayer beads. Oh, my goodness these are pretty beads...

I want the cobalt blue beads. Where's Santa?

Wow...if I could do a handful more readings today, I'd make the money to buy them myself....any takers?

Darr :)

November=Thanksgiving

I do not relish our American Thanksgiving for the sole fact that my household is torn between four families all wanting us to "join them for dinner." It is insane to eat several Thanksgiving meals on one day! Insane! Even when I could gorge myself (which I can no longer do thanks to weight loss surgery) I couldn't understand why the EAT EAT EAT mentality pervades the Thanksgiving Holiday.

I love spending time with my mother and step-father, father and step-mother, my wonderful cousins on my dad's side, my husband's family members and my step-father's family---but not all of them on the same day! This year, I'm thinking we have a dinner at noon, a dinner at 3 and a dinner at 7. I'm afraid to check to confirm this, however!

Food should not be the focus of Thanksgiving. But alas, for many it is. Food=love is a mindset that I appreciate, fear and embrace all at the same time.

That said, I'm going to celebrate Thanksgiving my way, right here.

Thanks giving. Giving thanks. Showing Appreciation. It starts with your attitude. One of my favorite quotes from Ikedaquotes.org is:

When your determination changes, everything will begin to move in the direction you desire. The moment you resolve to be victorious, every nerve and fiber in your being will immediately orient itself toward your success. On the other hand, if you think, “This is never going to work out,” then at that instant every cell in your being will be deflated and give up the fight. Then everything really will move in the direction of failure.

Welcome to Darragha's Thanksgiving dinner table. We're all going to take a turn, in fine holiday tradition, sharing those things in our lives for which we are thankful. The day after Thanksgiving, I'll draw one winner from the posting thankful to receive a lovely prize--but I need to check with an artist friend of mine first to make sure she can have "the lovely prize" ready by then. If not, I'll provide a reasonable facsimile.

I get to go first!

• I appreciate my sufferings as they propel me forward;
• I appreciate my parents, for they gave me the gift of life--twice! (My parents and step-parents paid for my weight-loss surgery);
• I appreciate my loving husband and daughter--even when they're making me crazy;
• I appreciate having a day job. It is a daily source of inspiration for my career as a novelist;
• I appreciate every twist, turn, corner and dead-end in my personal labyrinth. I am blazing my own way through it!
• I appreciate my readers, without whom my characters would surely starve;

Your turn!

Darr :)

Contest for Dead Man's Trousers, part II

Hey, Peeps! The contest continues for one more day! Go here for more information!

Darr

Looking for a reading?

Scroll down to the bottom of his page, or go here. :)

Darr

You asked for it! I'm mailing it!

Anita, Sarah, Aimee, Carolyn, Jean, Beth, Jill, Diane & Catilin...

Your sticky note pads, etc., are in the mail!

Darr :)

Thanks for visiting your Bellingham Author!

Whoohoo! Thanks to all the visitors clicking in from Barb's sign, Visit Bellinghamauthor.com!

My official author page is: www.darraghafoster.com. This blog is updated all the time with contests, new book blurbs and more. Thanks for visiting and thanks for supporting Bellingham's Romance Novelist!

I'd like to offer all those visiting my site a treat! If you email me at darragha @ gmail. com (no spaces) with the subject heading: I SAW BARB'S SIGN, and give me your name and mailing address, I'll send you some bookmarkers and/or sticky notes gratis!

Here's where to buy my books: (and thanks!)

Love's Second Sight (ebook and paperback)
The Orca King (ebook only [for now] named in the top 25 of the most unusual paranormal characters in the last 25 years by Romantic Times BookLover's Magazine)
Cold, Hard Kash (ebook only. my mother liked this one!)
Teaching Old Gods New Tricks (ebook for now...soon to be in print! a trilogy in one volume)
A Witch in Time (ebook. a "witchy" anthology. My tale is "Spell-Crafted for Pleasure")
Mooncusser Cove (ebook. will go to print depending upon e-sales)
Of Flesh and Blood (a vampire anthology. My tale is "Polishing Saber." ) Blurb:
Polishing Saber is not your average vampire tale. These ain’t your mama’s Carpathians. In Iceland, the vampires are tall, blonde and environmentally-minded. Vampires in the land of fire and ice is nice!

It's isn't much, but I feel the difference

Hell! I feel pretty damned good! Thanks to Barb H. for the sign!

Leif Eiriksson Day winner!

#15! My daughter drew number 15 from the pile. And that is Mary Lou, the lurker!

Thank you for participating today! The "Of Flesh and Blood" contest will continue for awhile longer, so check back!

Darr

Today is Leif Eirkisson Day!

In honor of my favorite holiday, I'm going to give away a free download of my Viking romance, "Love's Second Sight."

To enter, please wish me "Happy Holidays!" via email to darragha @ gmail. com (no spaces). One winner will be drawn after my nap!

Thank you, and Happy Holidays!

Darr

A rant

Britney vs. Darragha

Britney is talented.
Darragha is talented.

Britney needs to lose weight. Maybe. Ok...Not really.
Darragha is losing weight.

Britney has some substance abuse problems.
Darragha's substance has problems. That's why she's losing weight.

Britney lost custody of her kids.
Darragha has a very good relationship with her daughter and made her French toast this morning before sending her off to work at the stable.

"Gimme More” debuted at number one on both the Billboard Hot 100 and the Hot Digital Songs charts, with 179,000 downloads.

"Mooncusser Cove" has sold 10 copies.

Does Darragha need to become a head-shaving, snatch-showing bad mother for people to buy her book?
If Britney cleans up her act will people stop downloading her music?

Gimme More, says Britney.
Please visit Mooncusser Cove! pleads Darragha