This is so not writing related, but I'm super excited. A few weeks ago, I posted a blog about my friend that participated in the Spartan Race and how badly I wanted to try one similar. I'd made a comment that I planned to do the Warrior Dash in May, then didn't mention it again. Well, I did sign up. *nervous giggle*
On Sunday at 11:30 I'll start my 3.08 mile journey down a dirt path to obstacles I've never done before. Unlike the Spartan Race, I'm completely aware of what I'll face. The Warrior Dash consists of 11 obstacles, ranging from crawling over a net to climbing up a wall to wading in waist deep water to climb over logs. The one I'm most looking forward to is the one they call Muddy Mayhem. It's the very last obstacle where you have to crawl under barbwire in a mud pit.
I know this may seem like a weird one to look forward to, but I have my reasons. My kids will be there cheering me on. I can already hear my son's cackle as he watches mommy belly-crawl through the mud. I don't care how noisy it will be, I will hear that cackle and it will make everything I've done worth it. I love that sound. If I'm in another room and I hear it, I immediately smile. It's pure delight.
I also have personal reasons for wanting to do this race. Most of you know about my back issues and how bad it was for me about 18 months ago. It's been a very, very long road to recovery, one where I feared I'd never get myself back to where I once was. In truth, I never will. I've had to learn to accept that and the limitations of my life now.
Before, it was all or nothing. I was competitive. I wanted to come out on top. I wanted to prove I was the best in every class. When that was taken away from me, I had a hard time adjusting. In the last 2 months as I prepared for the race, I've grown as a person. I no longer get frustrated when the class is doing something I can't do. I simply do something I can.I have no issues now saying, "I can't physically do that, BUT I can do this."
It's a great place to be.
Will there be obstacles I might not be able to complete during the Warrior Dash? Maybe. If there are, it will take me out of the running for placement. And I'm okay with that. I don't need to place. I just need to finish, even if I'm the last one that crosses that finish line :)
I'll share pictures next week!
Esme
On Sunday at 11:30 I'll start my 3.08 mile journey down a dirt path to obstacles I've never done before. Unlike the Spartan Race, I'm completely aware of what I'll face. The Warrior Dash consists of 11 obstacles, ranging from crawling over a net to climbing up a wall to wading in waist deep water to climb over logs. The one I'm most looking forward to is the one they call Muddy Mayhem. It's the very last obstacle where you have to crawl under barbwire in a mud pit.
I know this may seem like a weird one to look forward to, but I have my reasons. My kids will be there cheering me on. I can already hear my son's cackle as he watches mommy belly-crawl through the mud. I don't care how noisy it will be, I will hear that cackle and it will make everything I've done worth it. I love that sound. If I'm in another room and I hear it, I immediately smile. It's pure delight.
I also have personal reasons for wanting to do this race. Most of you know about my back issues and how bad it was for me about 18 months ago. It's been a very, very long road to recovery, one where I feared I'd never get myself back to where I once was. In truth, I never will. I've had to learn to accept that and the limitations of my life now.
Before, it was all or nothing. I was competitive. I wanted to come out on top. I wanted to prove I was the best in every class. When that was taken away from me, I had a hard time adjusting. In the last 2 months as I prepared for the race, I've grown as a person. I no longer get frustrated when the class is doing something I can't do. I simply do something I can.I have no issues now saying, "I can't physically do that, BUT I can do this."
It's a great place to be.
Will there be obstacles I might not be able to complete during the Warrior Dash? Maybe. If there are, it will take me out of the running for placement. And I'm okay with that. I don't need to place. I just need to finish, even if I'm the last one that crosses that finish line :)
I'll share pictures next week!
Esme
Kilmartin Glen in Argyll, Scotland has more than 800
important archeological sites in a 6 mile radius, 150 of them prehistoric. It is considered one of
Scotland’s richest sites for prehistoric monuments. Some experts believe the area
now known as Kilmartin may have been a very important center of activity to
prehistoric peoples.
In addition to the fascinating historical monuments, I
wanted to show you some views of the beautiful scenery. It is a very green with
lots of farmland with mountains in the background.
 |
| one of the rain storms |
The day we visited, the weather was mostly sunny but at
times severe rain storms blew through. It was a good idea not to be too far
from the car or some sort of shelter. One of these surprise rain storms
happened when we were taking a short walk to visit Moine Mhor National Nature
Reserve. Moine Mhor or ‘Great Moss’ has been here for more than 5000 years and
once covered much of the glen but people drained it and claimed the land for
farming. It is home to lots of wildlife. It has a boardwalk so you can walk out
over the bog. It was sunny when we left the car in the parking area but by the
time we reached the boardwalk, the sky grew dark and the rain started. We
rushed back through the small stand of woods but were almost drenched by the
time we reached the car. It was a fun time! LOL
 |
| a walk through the woods to Moine Mhor |
 |
| Moine Mhor or 'Great Moss' |
Nether Largie South Cairn was the first historic site we
visited. It is the oldest of the cairns in the area. It is a Neolithic chambered
tomb, called a ‘Clyde type’ of tomb. Many of these are found in Argyll.
Apparently some people climb down into it. (Not me.) And I don’t know if the
general public can climb down or only specific people. We didn’t know much
about the area and missed seeing the North and Mid cairns.
 |
| Nether Largie South Cairn |
I took the below photos of the information posted at Nether Largie South Cairn so you can read all about it.
Above is a map of the glen, showing Kilmartin Village at the top. Now you can see why we missed the first two cairns. They were on a separate little road which we must have assumed was a driveway or farm road. The area is filled with farms and a few houses here and there. There are very few signs for guidance.
Nether Largie Standing Stones contains 5 upright stones or pillars that form an X shape, two at each end and one in the middle. Also in the middle is a small cairn. It is unknown what the site was used for. Some think it may have been a lunar observatory.
Much of Kilmartin Glen was covered in peat bog from the year
900 AD until the 1800s when it was drained, cleared of peat and used for
farming. This is one reason so many of the prehistoric monuments were
preserved. Unfortunately, some of the stones from the monuments and cairns were
used (in the 1800s) for building other things like roads, walls and drains.
Since the monuments were also exposed prior to the year 900 some of the stones
may have been taken away before then.
I have so many interesting pictures, I’ll share more about
Kilmartin Glen later.
To learn more about the history of Kilmartin Glen check out
this article.
Hope you enjoyed the virtual tour!
Thanks!
Vonda
Plaything, #4 in the Paolo's Playhouse series, released from Samhain on May 8th. I'm thrilled it has landed on the bestseller's list there and that it's getting some great reviews. Readers love Paolo :)
From Guilty Pleasures Book Review:
"THANK YOU Natasha Moore for writing Paolo’s story. After meeting him in the first book, I was intrigued by his mysterious personality and that voice……..sigh... Ms. Moore knows how to pack a short story with charming characters, fantastic writing, and smokin’ hot sex...I loved this series and is a must read for all who enjoy erotic romance at its best."
You can read the entire review here.
Also, I got the release date for Silken Canvas, my next romance from Samhain. It has no Christmas themes whatsoever, but the release date will be December 25, 2012. So you can all get a sexy erotic artist named Brendan Cole in your stocking for Christmas - or at least on your e-reader :) Can't wait to see what awesome cover the artist talent at Samhain will come up with. :)
Have a great Monday!
Natasha
Plaything
Birthday Girl
Risk It
Flaunt It
www.natashamoore.com
From Guilty Pleasures Book Review:
"THANK YOU Natasha Moore for writing Paolo’s story. After meeting him in the first book, I was intrigued by his mysterious personality and that voice……..sigh... Ms. Moore knows how to pack a short story with charming characters, fantastic writing, and smokin’ hot sex...I loved this series and is a must read for all who enjoy erotic romance at its best."
You can read the entire review here.
Also, I got the release date for Silken Canvas, my next romance from Samhain. It has no Christmas themes whatsoever, but the release date will be December 25, 2012. So you can all get a sexy erotic artist named Brendan Cole in your stocking for Christmas - or at least on your e-reader :) Can't wait to see what awesome cover the artist talent at Samhain will come up with. :)
Have a great Monday!
Natasha
Plaything
Birthday Girl
Risk It
Flaunt It
www.natashamoore.com
Not sure about the title, but Sourcebooks bought A SEAL Wolf Christmas!
It all began with To Tempt the Wolf and Hunter and his wolf pack!
Then there's A SEAL in Wolf's Clothing.
And
a return to Hunter's pack, only this time with one of his SEAL team
members, back at the Oregon coast, Finn Emerson intending to protect
Hunter's sister Meara.
Meara catches him before he covers himself with a towel, pretending to be her lover while she's intending to find a mate. And it's NOT going to be him. He's such a devil of a wolfish SEAL hunk.
And now?
I got word last night, talk about TGIF!!! Anna and Bjornolf get their turn!
A SEAL Wolf Christmas (title probably to change)
Today, I'm also signing books at West Waco Library in Waco, Texas, conference room, from 1:30-4.
I'll be giving out book marks also.
And I'm at Discover New Love http://www.discoveranewlove.com/store/heart-of-the-highland-wolf.html all month long!
Have a super great Saturday!!!
Terry
"Giving new meaning to the term alpha male where fantasy IS reality!"
www.terryspear.com
It all began with To Tempt the Wolf and Hunter and his wolf pack!
You
know how that began. Tessa finds a naked man on her beach. Hey, he's a
SEAL...wolf. What can you expect? Snowstorm coming. What's a woman to
do???
Then there's A SEAL in Wolf's Clothing.
Meara catches him before he covers himself with a towel, pretending to be her lover while she's intending to find a mate. And it's NOT going to be him. He's such a devil of a wolfish SEAL hunk.
And now?
I got word last night, talk about TGIF!!! Anna and Bjornolf get their turn!
A SEAL Wolf Christmas (title probably to change)
Navy SEAL Bjornolf Jorgenson and undercover operative Anna
Johnson have a rocky beginning at their first meeting all to do with pantyhose
and tying her to a bed after some heavy-duty sparring, and him declaring she has
mighty fine killer knees. Christmas is coming but thoughts of sugar plum
fairies and kissing under the mistletoe isn’t something these two gray
werewolves have in mind when they're tasked to be the newlyweds preparing for
Christmas while investigating a SEAL’s murder at a Christmas Tree farm.
Neither care about Christmas, sharing gifts, and all the traditions
that go along with the season since neither enjoyed the holiday while growing
up. But as they battle each other as to what makes for the perfect newly married couple’s
first Christmas, they learn that a little Christmas cheer can become so much
more, especially if they can take down a SEAL’s killer before they become his
next target.
So get ready for more of Bjornolf. Yum. :) And Anna and her give no quarter attitude!
Today, I'm also signing books at West Waco Library in Waco, Texas, conference room, from 1:30-4.
I'll be giving out book marks also.
And I'm at Discover New Love http://www.discoveranewlove.com/store/heart-of-the-highland-wolf.html all month long!
Have a super great Saturday!!!
Terry
"Giving new meaning to the term alpha male where fantasy IS reality!"
www.terryspear.com
Ratings
Overall: 9
Sensuality: 10
Erotica Element: 8
Reviewer Comments: Ronan Graeme is an immortal werewolf, one of the Sgian Dubh clan who were cursed years ago by 7 sorcerers. He spends his time protecting the world form evil in the hopes that one day he and his fellow werewolves will be able to regain their souls. He wants to be normal and to have a normal life again. When he learns that one of the sorcerers who cursed him and killed his wife and two children has returned as an incubus determined to regain his power by killing a psychic, Ronan knows that he must protect the psychic and find a way to kill the sorcerer for all time.
Syrena Ellis has always been able to sense the future and to see the dead. She has spent a lifetime avoiding her abilities and hiding them from the world. When a stranger shows up and wants to spend time with her, she is suspicious of his motives. She doesn’t understand that he is there to protect her. Syrena’s instincts and psychic senses are telling her that Ronan is not telling her the whole truth about who he is and she doesn’t know what do. Also being able to sense an evil presence around her is not helping her to begin to trust.
Ronan doesn’t expect to be so attracted to Syrena. He is drawn to her from the first moment he sees her. Syrena also feels the same and Ronan’s presence sends shockwaves through her system. Unfortunately for Syrena and Ronan, it is forbidden for them to ever be together. If they have sex, Ronan will be punished for at least one human lifetime. The trouble is that their attraction to each other grows stronger and stronger. Will Ronan be able to resist?
This book is filled not only with a great love story, but also tons of sex and erotic scenes. The sex scenes in the book are graphic and explicit. The passion between Ronan and Syrena plays out in a number of steamy ways.
I loved this story. It was about two people who find each other in an unconventional way. They have to trust each other and learn the other’s secrets in order for love to work. Neither one of them expected this or was looking for it, but it arrived. The characters of Syrena and Ronan are likeable and fun to read about. I enjoyed seeing them play off one another and work together to destroy the evil that they face. Ronan accepts Syrena for who she is and helps her to accept herself and her psychic gifts.
I am looking forward to stories about the rest of the Sgian Dubh clan. I think their stories will be equally compelling.
Thanks!! :)
Nicole
I’m in one of those writer’s lulls, where nothing big is
happening, just spending my days doing life stuff and writing the first draft
of the second book in my MMA series.
I’m in that area of the book where I’m starting to wrap
everything up and things are starting to get complicated (for me, lol). One of
the biggest issues right now is the kiss. Yeah, you read the correctly. I’m
starting to get toward the third half of the book and they haven’t even kissed
yet. (Well, they have, but the first one doesn’t count.) That never happens
with me. So I’ve really, really had to up the sexual tension between these two.
Honestly, it’s smoking hot between the two of them, but they both have their reasons
for not stepping over that “friends” line.
The problem is I’ve spent so long writing the tension that now
they are about to truly kiss, I’m clueless as to what happens. Unfortunately
because of circumstances inside the book, things just can’t explode, which is
what would happen in any other book. I’m telling you these two are in a
rip-your-clothes-off-and-do-it-against-the-wall sort of emotional place. But I
can’t go there. So I’m finding it very challenging to get that Castle/Beckett feeling.
*SPOILER* For the fans, you know what I’m talking about and
the feeling we all had Monday night when it finally happened. I don’t know
about you guys, but I’ve been frustrated this entire season waiting, hoping,
then cursing at the TV when it didn’t happen. But Monday it finally did and
boy, I had to rewind to watch again. And then rewind it again. Even though I
had to wait as long as I did, when it finally happened it was worth the wait.
I’m trying to capture the same feeling in my book.
Unfortunately, unless I rewrite an entire plot point, things just can’t explode
at this particular time. So my question is…would you, as a reader, feel cheated
if the kiss stayed sweet? Or do you feel like I should maybe wring out a bit
more tension until they are in a time and place where it can explode?
Thanks!
Abby
Patricia Mason is the
award-winning author of steamy romantic suspense and thriller fiction. She also
writes young adult paranormal romance and urban fantasy under the pen name P.R.
Mason. Pat escaped from the Midwest winters of her youth by moving, in 2001, to
the strange and wonderful city of Savannah, Georgia. She now lives there,
happily spending her days as the subject of her cat overlord's mind control
experimentation. You can learn more about Pat and her work at her websites
www.patriciamason.net and www.prmason.net. You can also find her on twitter
@prmason
Q: Please tell us about your latest release, In Deep Shitake.
Overview Take one
devastatingly handsome movie star. Add in one outrageously sexy female private
eye with a penchant for food-word obscenities. Mix in a dose of mistaken
identity and a handful of Russian mobsters. And they're all In Deep Shitake.
Q: Do you have a review you could share with us?
A: "Once you pick up this great story, you won’t be able to put it down." - Lois Lavrisa, Amazon Kindle Top 100 Author
Q: This sounds fantastic! I also noticed this book has 15 five star reviews at Amazon! Wow congratulations! What inspired this story?
A: Ha ha. I laugh now, but the
inspiration came from a particularly embarrassing incident. A few years ago, I
was traveling a long distance by car with my two dogs and was trapped in a
sudden white out. My car spun 360 degrees on the highway and came to rest off
the road in the midst of a snow bank. I was towed out and got back on the road,
but by the time I got home a few hours later, the doors of the car were frozen
and I couldn't get them open. I was able to roll my window down to about the
half-way point. From there, I climbed out, squeezing through the narrow
opening. Since I was dressed for comfort in a skirt with slouchy socks and
clogs, by the time I got halfway out the window, the socks and shoes had come
off and my skirt was about up to my waist. My skirt snagged on something and I
was stuck for a few minutes trying to work it free. All the while, I was
praying that my neighbors didn't have a video camera or, if they did that it
was broken, or....you get the idea. I used this incident, in a fictionalized
way, in my new romantic suspense, IN DEEP SHITAKE. My heroine is trying to
break INTO the car instead of out when she becomes stuck in a humiliating
position.
Q: Oh no! LOL I would hate to be caught in that situation. How did your
story’s setting impact your plot or characters?
A: My story is set in
Savannah, Georgia, which is a weird and wonderful city. It's my home and I love
it here. Savannah is so rich in texture and character that the setting is
almost a character all on its own.
Q: I love Savannah! Why did you choose your setting and why was it perfect for your
book?
A: The hero of the story is an actor who is extremely famous for one
role he played about ten years before the story opens. Savannah is a city where
many films and television shows are filmed. So Savannah was a perfect setting
for the story not only because of it's great quirkiness but also because it's a
plausible place for my hero to be making a comeback film. Savannah also comes into
play in that hosts an annual St. Patrick's Day celebration that is one of the
biggest in the U.S. The parade becomes a big part of the final part of the
story.
Q: Did you choose the
title of your book and if so how did you do it?
A: I did choose the title. It comes from the
fact that the main character, Imogene "Mo" uses food words as
substitutes for obscenities. Hence the use of shitake mushroom. I though long
and hard about the spelling and decided since one i in shitake is an acceptable
variant, I would go with it because it is after all supposed to be her
substitute for the more crass word.
Q:
Please tell us about your favorite character in the book.
A: I love all the
characters but my favorite has to be the cat since he is modeled on one of my
babies. The cat's cameo was really fun to write and I love what the cover
designer did in integrating the cat into the cover art. That cover cat looks so
much like my kitty I can't help but smile when I see it.
Q: Please tell
us about your other books.
A: Imogene "Mo", the sexy In Deep
Shitake private eye has a short story in the thriller anthology: Bullets, Brass
and Babes. The story is called It Keeps Getting Shitakier and follows Mo's efforts to catch a suspected insurance
fraud.
In Deep Shitake and Bullets Brass and Babes are FREE (along with dozens of other
ebooks) May 7-9th as part of the Spring Fling Free Par-Tay. Romances (sweet to
hot), thrillers, mysteries and more by award-winning and best-selling authors
are all free at amazon.com. Readers can go to http://www.freepartay.com
for more details on all the books included in the par-tay.
Q: Wow! Readers are definitely going to partay and celebrate such a wonderful giveaway! :) What’s
next for you?
A: I am writing a book called
Cemetery Tree, which I hope to release in July. Cemetery Tree is a paranormal
with more of a horror bent, but it also has romance.
Thank you so much for having my
on your blog and for giving me the opportunity to connect with your readers.
Thanks so much Patricia, for being our guest today! And thanks also for the wonderful free books!
Everyone, please go grab those free books at Amazon (links above)!! Also please remember to visit Free Partay May 7 - 9th to find even more FREE books!!
One taste of everything she ever wanted…how can she walk away?
When I first sold my Paolo's Playhouse series and the four stories were scheduled out over a year, the release of the last story, Plaything, seemed so far away. I've celebrated the release of each story in the series, drooled over the great covers, enjoyed the reviews and reader's reactions. Suddenly...here we are, at the end of the road. At least for these four short stories that make up the Paolo's Playhouse series.
Blurb:
Julianne’s the epitome of a successful businesswoman. But where her boardroom reality is full of decisions, her bedroom fantasy is the exact opposite—allowing a lover who knows what he’s doing to strip her of the need to make any decisions at all.
When she reads an ad for Paolo’s Playhouse, her long-ignored need twists inside her, too sharp to ignore. Trembling, she picks up the phone, and Paolo’s charm, lyrical accent and empathy soothe her fear just enough to agree to be the Playhouse’s bondage toy. One look at Paolo the following night, and she wishes she’d struck a different bargain. To be his alone.
Paolo can’t take his eyes off the brave and beautiful woman with hair like the fire he sees in her soul. Her sexual need to be bound matches his own powerful need to be the one to bind her. Tonight and always.
Except Julianne agreed to only one perfect night. Now he must convince her it could be the first night of many for them—if only she will trust him.
Excerpt:
Paolo’s Playhouse. A new playground for consenting adults. Playrooms for every interest or desire. Bring your own plaything or we can provide one for you. We’ll help your fantasies come to life. Inquiries, phone…
The newspaper in Julianne’s hands rattled and she dropped it to the table as if it had burned her trembling fingers. The discreet ad at the bottom of the page grabbed her attention and wouldn’t let her go. Her heart raced and her nipples prickled. Words seemed to flash before her eyes.
Playhouse. Plaything. Fantasies.
She flipped the paper over and pushed away from the table. The marinated chicken breast and tossed salad sat, uneaten, in front of her. She didn’t feel like dinner any longer, didn’t even want the Chardonnay she’d poured to try to relax. The jumbled nerves in her stomach left no room for food. But the words kept running through her mind.
Playhouse. Plaything. Fantasies.
Sure, she had fantasies. Who didn’t? Leather cuffs and silky ropes, sweaty skin and long-fingered masculine hands were the images that danced behind her closed eyes each night when she used her trusty vibrator. Sometimes she thought her fantasies were the only things that kept her sane. But that didn’t mean she’d ever try to act them out in real life. Not again.
Julianne paced her apartment, restlessness buzzing through her system like an itch she couldn’t scratch. What was wrong with her? She didn’t have time to think about her sexual fantasies now. She had work to do. Work was what kept her sane. Work. Not fantasies.
She took refuge in the spare bedroom she’d converted into her workshop. Usually she felt happy there, but tonight the room seemed smaller, darker. The air was stale and stagnant. Still, she flipped through sample after sample, searching for the perfect drapery fabric for her current project. Nothing seemed right tonight. Everything felt flat, boring. But she couldn’t admit that work wasn’t enough anymore.
What would she have then?
She finally found a beautiful gold-and-green brocade that would be ideal for the draperies in the Olsons’ new dining room. And she had the perfect drapery ties to go with it. She’d gotten them on sale months ago, waiting for the right project. She opened the cabinet drawer and pulled out a length of braided cord.
Her breath caught as she ran the silky gold cord through her fingers. Slowly, without even realizing it, she wrapped it around her wrist, once, twice, and pulled tight. She stared at the dark gold cord wrapped around her pale skin as if wondering where it had come from. She tugged it again. Illicit thrills shivered over her skin, prickling her nipples and sending her sex throbbing.
We’ll help your fantasies come to life.
Bondage. She could admit to herself that being tied up during sex had always been her secret fantasy, but could she admit it to someone else? She’d tried once, with a guy she thought she could trust. She’d gathered up all her nerve and timidly asked him to tie her wrists to the headboard before they had sex. Bill had recoiled in shock, horrified that she would think he’d ever want to abuse a woman in that way. He’d stared at her as if there were something wrong with her and had refused to listen as she’d tried to explain about fantasies and consensual kink.
She’d never mentioned it again to another soul.
In fact, she’d buried it so deep she’d thought it had been forgotten, but the emotional scars from that disaster had probably colored every lousy relationship she’d had since then. She’d never again dared ask for what she wanted in the bedroom. Never dared believe she could actually experience real bondage, even once. She’d resigned herself to a boring sex life and inventive fantasies of her own making.
Somehow Julianne found herself back at the kitchen table, the cord still wrapped tightly around her wrist. She flipped the paper back over and read the words again. Could this be her chance to live out her fantasy? She grabbed the glass of wine still sitting on the table and drank in down in several long gulps. Then before she could think twice, she snatched up her phone and punched in the number.
“This is Paolo’s Playhouse. How may I help you?”
Another excerpt can be found on the Samhain website.
And just because this is the end of the Playhouse series doesn't mean there won't be other hot, sexy stories coming. I've sold another novel to Samhain about an erotic artist and his former lover titled Silken Canvas that should be out by the end of the year.
And I've just started writing a bigger story with Paolo and Julianne so I hope you'll be seeing that book on down the road.
Plaything is available for pre-order now and will release tomorrow! I'm so excited to have Paolo's story released, the one that gave me the idea for the entire series. Have a great week!
Natasha
PLAYTHING
BIRTHDAY GIRL
RISK IT
FLAUNT IT
www.natashamoore.com
