The Snow Job

Happy January!

I know it's cold outside in most parts of the earth, and I'm always ready for spring to come, but in the meantime, it certainly is nice weather to cuddle up with a book. And, of course, I have one I'd like to recommend. lol

Most brides on their wedding day are worried about their hair, their make-up, and setting up perfect family pictures, but Marina Fareeky's got bigger worries. In The Snow Job, Para Marshall Fareeky plans the ultimate sting operation to capture the head of the Nicholas vampyre clan, but she's in for an unsettling surprise. Just before she begins her walk down the aisle into the arms of one very tempting paranormal fugitive, she's informed by headquarters that a truce has been reached with the clan, and she's on her own. With no backup and trapped in the icy tundra at the top of the world, Marina has few choices. Escape means exposure, to both the elements and to the paranormal guests her fiance invited to the wedding, who will be none too pleased to discover that she's a Para Marshall. With no other options, she faces marriage to an otherworldly groom or certain death. Now the one who has been hunting her with the intent to make her his own forever awaits at the altar, and the wedding march has just begun...

The Snow Job has been one of my favorites because it was my first attempt at writing a vamp erotica story. Aleksi is gloriously proud and stubborn, and Marina has no patience for lawbreakers, so their chemistry was great fun to script. I hope if you get a chance to read it that you think so, too. Happy Reading!

Happy Holidays!!

 From all of us here at Fierce Romance, Happy Holidays!

Merry Christmas!

Happy Olympics Day!

It's the month of love, and I'm watching the Olympics. There's a lot of love at the Olympics. A lot of stories, too. From the winners and losers to the guy who had to break down the door to his bathroom to get out to the journalists who delight in reporting more on the poor accommodations at Sochi than the ski-jumping.

I love the Olympics for this reason. I love the human interest stories and the craziness (Bob Costas with pink eye? What?) even though the media outlets force the melodrama a bit. But they have to. Let's face it, few people, except sports enthusiasts, would watch the Olympics without the drama. And those few people--the ten luge fans, the fifteen curling fans, and the twelve ice dancing aficionados--don't have enough viewing power to make the advertisers happy. I've watched the Olympics since I was a little girl, and even though now I tend to read Twitter updates and watch short video clips instead of sitting for hours waiting on the coverage to get to figure skating, I still like the idea that for a whole five minutes somewhere two or three athletes are getting along because they just dig their sport so much they respect each others' skills instead of hating each other because their flags don't match.

I've never written a story about the Olympics, modern or otherwise, but they do fascinate me. Like many little girls, I always wanted to be a figure skater and dance on the ice, preferably with a hunky partner. I can tell I'm getting older, because now I want to be that figure skater, but I'd also like to try luge, half-pipe, and maybe ski-jumping. I think it's a mid-life thing, because Lord knows I'd never jump off of anything without a safety belt otherwise.

What about you? What's your favorite story of the Olympics? What sport would you compete in if you could? Where would you like the next Olympics to be if you could pick? Lots of questions. Want to answer? Just comment!

Happy Reading!

Winter - Fun or Fury?

The Fun part of winter: To the left is a picture of some of my friends playing paddle tennis. It's not really like regular tennis, more like squash or racquetball (because the ball is rubber-like) but it's a lot of fun and will keep you warm on a cold day. The courts are heated, which keeps the snow off.

The Fury part of winter: What a lot of Americans lived through last week. There's scarcely been a spot in the US to hide out from a nasty winter this year.

But it hit the South last week, with an unusual cold spell. My husband got stuck in a small city in North Carolina. When he picked up his rental car, he went back to the counter and asked for a snow scraper. The clerk laughed. "Honey, you're in the South. We don't have those things." He had to sit in his car until the heat melted the ice and snow off the windshield.

But worse than that was the fact that no restaurants were open. He found himself staying in a No-Tell Hotel with no food service. No restaurants were open because everything was covered in ice, including the roadways.

On the second night he called me while he was literally in the kitchen of a restaurant that had closed early. He was begging food. The lady said she'd give him some clam chowder for free because they had to throw it out. Next I heard him say, "Do you have any crackers?"

She said, "No, but how about a slice of bread?"

"Great. Thank you."

She hands over a four-foot long commercial loaf. "If I cut it, I have to throw it out, so I might as well give you the whole thing."

He says to me, "What do I do with this four-foot loaf?"

"Save it for tomorrow? In case the weather doesn't improve?"

The scary part of the week for me was that my daughter lives in Atlanta – first job. Well, we all know what happened there. Luckily, thank you, God, she chose to go home via back roads. It took her two hours to do a 30 minute commute, but she made it home. If she'd gotten on the highway, which is her usual route, she would have been stuck all night. And it was cold – 20 degrees. I feel for the Atlanta folks who were stranded on the roads overnight.

My daughter reported that about 50 people stayed at her office for the night, including top management. They decided they could not go home while other employees were stuck there. I'm glad she works for people with that attitude. Even though Atlanta only got 2.3 inches of snow, it all turned to ice, and the city was shut down.

Sometimes Mother Nature just wins.

Did anyone else have any bad/funny experiences with this brutal winter?

 

A White Halloween

I know, how odd that it looks like a white Christmas here when it is actually Halloween, right? I had to share some of the pics I took yesterday when we rode our ATV in the beautiful snow we had here in NC up the side of a mountain and along another road. It was definitely a winter wonderland!

We don't usually have snow this early but this is off Hurricane Sandy. I was so sad to see the devastation in the north east. I hope all of you, your families and homes are okay or that you will bounce back soon. I'm thinking of you.

Best wishes for a happy Halloween!
Vonda
www.vondasinclair.com

P.S. My book, My Fierce Highlander is an Epic Award Finalist in historical romance!

P.P.S. My story, My Brave Highlander takes place in a winter wonderland also, in the icy north of Scotland during November.

Battle-hardened warrior Dirk MacLerie isn't who everyone thinks he is. He's Dirk MacKay, heir apparent to the MacKay chiefdom and Dunnakeil Castle on the far north coast of Scotland. When he returns home after a long absence, will his clan know him and will the duplicitous enemy who tried to murder him twelve years ago kill him in truth this time?

Lady Isobel MacKenzie is a beautiful young widow betrothed to yet another Highland chief by her brother's order. But when her future brother-in-law accosts her and threatens to kill her, she is forced to flee into a Highland snowstorm. When she runs into a rugged and imposing man she thought dead, she wonders if he will turn her over to her enemy or take her to safety.

Dirk remembers the enchanting, dark-eyed Isobel from when he was a lad, but now she is bound to another man by legal contract—an important detail she would prefer to forget. She wishes to choose her own husband and has her sights set on Dirk. But he would never steal another man's bride… would he? The tantalizing lady fires up his passions, testing his willpower and honor at every turn, even as some of his own treacherous clansmen plot his downfall.

Baby, It's Cold Outside

It was snowing and minus 4 degrees at our house when I got up this morning.


Yes, I live in the Norteastern United States. I know it's supposed to be cold here this time of year. But...wow, the past couple weeks have hit us pretty hard. And from the reports I've been hearing about, it's hitting a lot of places with cold weather. My husband's brother moved to Georgia a few years ago and is always calling him to tease about how much warmer/nicer/better it is down there. A couple days ago he called to tell us about the snow they were getting.

My husband's already tired of blowing out the driveway. I'm sick of brushing and scraping and shoveling. We had to go out and buy more hats and scarves because they seem to disappear this time of year. Luckily we could still find a few. Now's the time of year when the stores start putting out the spring clothes! This was our son's car last weekend.


Winter has it's good points. The skiiers and snowboarders and snowmobilers I know love to see the snow and cold. But I'm not into winter sports. I only skii on my Wii Fit.

If you love a good roaring fire, which I do, . We bought a new house a couple years ago and I love the fireplace. It has an insert so it really helps warm the house. It's roaring today. See.

So maybe I shouldn't be complaining about the cold weather, but hey, everyone does. It was the topic of conversation at the diner where we met friends for breakfast this morning. The waitress quipped that she wasn't even asking anyone if they wanted refills on their coffee, she just kept filling them up. If nothing else, those mugs made great hand warmers.

The story I'm working on now started out taking place in the summer. But the weather is getting progressively colder with each scene I write. I think I'm going to rewrite the weather in the beginning. I see a roaring fire in my hero and heroine's future.

So, how cold is it where you live? And be honest, do you like it when it's cold outside??

Natasha
www.natashamoore.com

Keeping the Fires Burning -- Creatively and Otherwise

Holiday times are lots of fun, but they can also become stressful. Yesterday while at a mall, I decided I wouldn’t let this busy time of year get the best of me. I entered the lot and the sea of vehicles jockeying for a parking place. Two kind drivers smiled and yielded the right of way, and I journeyed through the lanes. With temptations abounding and parties planned this month, I’d already decided parking farther away was the perfect plan. Of course, the fact space was at a minimum also set this notion in motion.

The best part of my adventure was running into some old friends and briefly catching up on what was going on in our worlds. A chat with a gentleman while browsing books started a conversation that found us discussing current fiction works of merit. After some time spent checking out various stores—and I wasn’t even shopping for gifts—I found a great bargain and then headed for the car.

Though I wasn’t at the shopping complex for too long, it seemed as though the parking lot had shrunk and vehicles would soon have to park on the curbs. A chilly wind slapped my cheeks, and I wrapped my scarf tighter. Bumper to bumper I inched my way toward the highway and freedom from the shopping frenzy. The interstate was close by, and I pointed my car toward it. With the radio on, I longed for an escape—a comforting and/or pampering escape.

Sound familiar?

If it does—or even if you’re curious as to what routes I take to remedy such desires—read on. Here are some pampering possibilities for solo or enjoyment with a significant other. Guaranteed to raise heart rates and warm you from head to heel.






Solo –






Fill your bathtub with glorious bubbles and bask. Include a bath tray and read a favorite book or sip a yummy beverage. Soak away the stress.






Treat yourself to a homemade facial mask or give yourself a sassy pedicure/manicure. He’ll appreciate your beauty and won’t be able to resist touching, kissing and tickling you.






Find some childhood photo albums and take a trip back in time.






Surround yourself in silence and practice yoga or meditation. This will slough off stress, clear your mind, and balance your mood.






Bake something extra sinful such as special brownies, cookies you’ll frost, or a festive cake. Call a couple friends and have them come over for chatting and coffee/tea while you share the pastries of the season before they spoil.






With a Great Guy –




Pick your favorite scented lotion or oil and get in touch with each other. Massage is a magical way to make stress and sore muscles disappear while making some pretty wonderful memories.






Hang out beneath the mistletoe from time to time. He won’t have any problem finding you there.






Light the fire in the hearth and then build the loving spark to a bonfire with your special guy. Heat doesn’t have to only be coming from the burning logs.






If there’s snow on the ground, build a snowman. Tossing snow at each other and tumbling into the cold stuff is fun and will eventually find you heading inside to warm up together and continue the playful moments.






Head for the mountains or a favorite retreat where the two of you will be alone. Each breath of cold air will find you hungry for the hugs and kisses the guy beside you will give. Start with an Eskimo kiss and explore some winter fantasies together.

Wishing you all the best for the holidays and beyond,

Shawna Moore
TO HELLE AND BACK AGAIN -- Ellora's Cave
TORMENTED (Recommended Read) -- Ellora's Cave
ROUGHRIDER -- Ellora's Cave
HELLE IN HEELS -- Ellora's Cave
Shawna's Myspace
Helle's Myspace

Instinct

As a woman who’s always been more into planning than spur-of-the-moment, I recently put my resolution to remain flexible into play. Several months earlier, hubby and I purchased tickets to a comedy event. Almost daily, we chatted about the upcoming concert. Since the venue is several hours away, we agreed on arriving early and enjoying the sights of the city. No planning in advance, except for purchasing the tickets.

Fast forward to the week of the performance. Nothing that happened in our working week dampened our moods. We were ready for Friday night. Anticipation buoyed us and boosted our energy levels. Two days before to the concert, my closet doors remained closed in the event I became tempted to pull a couple outfits from the racks and ask his opinion on a favorite.

As happens with all good moods, they eventually reach an end point. Conflict delights at barging in on a woman before she’s out of her pajamas. The morning prior to our getaway, I brewed the coffee and turned on the television. The Weather Channel delivered the awful news. A winter storm would sweep into our area overnight. A call of icing doesn’t bother me when I’m watching NHL games. But the notion of driving on slick roadways doesn’t thrill me in the slightest.

Despite the dismal weather prediction, my hubby remained confident all would be fine and we’d no need for alarm. My writing day beckoned and I gladly heeded the call. I played among the plotting sheets on our living room floor and steered my thoughts away from the approaching storm. After about an hour I took a break and enjoyed a mug of green tea while curled up on the couch. The remote control lay nearby on the coffee table, but I resisted picking it up and rechecking the weather. Hubby’s reassurances played in my mind. Before half of the tea was gone, pleasant warmth tracked from my neck to my toes. Warmth I couldn’t attribute to the tea. Something stirred deep inside me. Many link this sensation to their gut, but I don’t. My instinct is settled somewhere else, and I’m not concerned as to its pinpoint location. The fact instinct has served me well in cases where I’m apprehensive sustains my faith in the well-hidden predictor. Instead of sipping, I gulped the rest of my tea and returned to the story plotting. All would be fine. My instinct and hubby were right.

The following morning I awoke earlier than usual, headed for the family den and peeked out the curtain. A glazed front walkway and driveway greeted me. But no chills chased through my body. I tuned into the local forecast and also accessed the online report for our destination city. The temperature was trending upward, and the pink-contrasted portion of the scan was tracking northward on the radar. A direction opposite the one we’d travel.

After a hearty breakfast we hit the highway. From the minute we reached the interstate, our conversation remained upbeat. We reached our destination in good time. Even the brief drizzle of rain didn’t change our mood. Sightseeing. Shopping. Strolling the city streets. Dining at a new restaurant we’ve added to our list of all-time favorites. A spectacular comedic performance ending our day. Though we didn’t arrive home until after three the following morning, we were still laughing and repeating some of the funnier lines from the show.

How many of you have relied on instinct? How accurate has your instinct proven?

Feel the heat in erotic fiction,

Shawna Moore
ROUGHRIDER – Ellora’s Cave
HELLE IN HEELS – Ellora’s Cave
TORMENTED – TBD Ellora’s Cave
Shawna’s Myspace
Helle’s Myspace

In the Hot Seat Over the Holidays

While out and about recently, a shopper approached me carrying two blouses. One was a stunning leopard-print, the other a plainer, tailored style in petal pink. My first impression was that she was going to ask me which suited her better. Instead, she started chatting with me about various topics--including the shopping frenzy over the holidays. Eventually she mentioned the next place on her must-visit list—her favorite brick-and-mortar bookstore. She enjoys reading romance fiction and named several of her favorite authors. At this point I mentioned I write romance fiction—including erotic romances and erotica. We were standing in an area of the store where no one else browsed at the time, and she hung the blouses at the front of a nearby rack. After giving me an abbreviated history of her liberal days during the 1960s and 1970s, she posed a question: “Do you authors actually practice what you put in those books?” She glanced past me, then around the immediate vicinity. “Do you all personally research what the characters do?”

After a brief pause, I responded – “As with the stories I write, I’ll leave the answer to your imagination.” She laughed, smiled and said something to the effect her imagination worked overtime when reading sexually-explicit fiction. We chatted for a bit longer about reading romance novels, wished each other happy holidays, I gave her my business card and we parted company.

What about you? Have you ever been put on the spot? Care to share the “hot” topic and how you responded?

Season’s greetings and steamy readings,

Shawna Moore http://www.grant-moore.com
ROUGHRIDER – Ellora’s Cave
HELLE IN HEELS – Ellora’s Cave
Myspace – http://www.myspace.com/shawnamooreauthor
Helle’s Myspace – http://www.myspace.com/hellehawthorn

Happy Holiday Traditions

Once upon a time my grandmother, mother and aunt baked multiple batches of assorted Christmas cookies for sharing with friends, relatives and neighbors. Oatmeal raisin. Forgotten cookies. Cherry Winks. Sand tarts. Porcupines. Sugar cookies. Thumbprints. The list continues, but these are a sampling of which dozens were prepared and devoured. Though the variety changed and lessened over the passing years, one baking tradition remained—chocolate-chip cookies were always tucked into festive tins and dwindled rapidly between removal from the ovens and Christmas Eve. More now than ever, I choose to celebrate the real meaning of Christmas while embracing the beauty and natural majesty of the season. Shortly after Thanksgiving I shift into baking mode and prepare those chocolate-chip cookies that bring smiles, raised coffee mugs and good cheer.

Snow has fallen and your senses are stirred at first breath as you step outside. Lampposts and lintels are festooned. Holiday finery decorates doors, windows, shrubs and lawns. Proud pines show off their tinsel and trimmings. You’re strolling along, perhaps singing a favorite Christmas carol and mulling over plans for the season. What Christmas tradition is observed by you and your family?

Blessings and all the best for the holidays and beyond,

Shawna Moore http://www.grant-moore.com/
Myspace – http://www.myspace.com/shawnamooreauthor
Helle’s Myspace – http://www.myspace.com/hellehawthorn