Happy Halloween to you all. I wish you a safe and fun-filled night!

My guest this week is Moira Keith. Thanks for agreeing to appear on my blog, Moira.

Q: To begin, please explain which genre you write in, and why…
A: My first published novella was a contemporary western romance. Never thought I would write that genre as the paranormal romance genre truly calls to my heart. However, Buckling Down was my gift to my mother. I lean towards paranormal though because I am fascinated with the endless possibilities. Shapeshifters, Fae, Witches, Vampires…they all hold an appeal to me.

Q: How long did you write before you received your first contract for publication?
A: Some people will slap me silly for this, but I wrote seriously for about eighteen months before I contracted my first story.

Q: So, if you don’t mind sharing, would you tell us about your latest work in progress?
A: Would love to tell you about my current work in progress. Currently I am working on a paranormal romance. The working title for it is Chosen. It is about a woman who is part Fae and part wolf-shifter. Only problem is that she does not have the ability to release the wolf within her. Having been raised among the Fae and after losing her mother to wolf shifters, she has a very hard time accepting that side of her. After spending her life with no contact from her father, he is now seeking her help in finding the cause of the disappearances among his pack.

Q: Out of all the stories you’ve written, which is your favorite?
A: So far Chosen, though not complete, is my favorite. This is my blood, sweat, and tears story. It has been a work in progress for about ten months and is sitting at about the half way mark.

Q: Do you need to be in a specific place or atmosphere before the words flow?
A: Not really. Sometimes I am at work and will have to grab a notebook from my drawer to jot down ideas and story elements as they come to me. I have walked out of work with ten pages of massacred short hand, only to get home and have nothing new hit me.

Q: What’s the strangest source of inspiration you’ve found for a story?
A: I don’t know if it is strange as much as just the timing seemed off to me. I was really stuck on a vampire story and trying to unravel the issues to figure out where I went wrong. Well, it was about four thirty in the morning and I was driving to work. I passed by a brightly lit neon sign advertising a bar and that is when the idea for Buckling Down was born.

Q: If you could offer one tidbit of information for new writers, what would it be?
A: Remember that you are the creator of the story. Critique partners are wonderful and extremely useful, but I find it is important not to lose your voice because of what a CP tells you. They are offering their view point and opinion. It is not gospel. If the advice begins to change your voice or lead your story in a direction you do not like, it is alright to take a step back and rethink what advice you will take and what you will let pass.

Q: Do you have an evil day job or do you write full time?
A: Unfortunately, the evil day job still pays the bills. As much as I would love write full time, I am still slave to the 9 to 5 (or in my case 5 to 1) rat race.

Q: What do you like to do in your spare time?
A: In my spare time I love to spend time with my twin boys. They love to play Rockband on the Wii and I truly believe I have a couple of rock stars in the making. I also read a lot, like to dance and spend time with family and friends.

Q: Name one thing readers would be surprised to learn about you.
A: Nothing. I am an open book. Oh alright, though it is difficult to tell, I have an extremely low sense of self confidence and I swear like a sailor.

Q: What’s your favorite dirty word?
A: My favorite dirty word probably ranks high with a lot of people. Fuck, is a versatile word that works well for cursing people out or in sex. I have two that come in tie for second and some people may cringe, so if you are a delicate flower then ‘earmuffs’ please before I continue. My tied for second place dirty words would be cunt and prick, which pairs very nicely with favorite number one. Yeah, I know, so not nice and my mother is just dying as she reads this, but there you have it.

Q: What’s your favorite holiday, and why?
A: Favorite holiday has to be Christmas. In my family, I am not sure who is the bigger kid, my parents or my children, nieces, and nephew. My parents always make the holidays fun, so one might thinking picking one would be hard, but not the case here. Christmas has always been big in my family and filled with tradition, which I think is important.

Q: Do you have any tattoos or piercings?
A: I have a tattoo of a rose with a vine that encircles my ankle and I plan to get at least one more. Only thing pierced on my body is my ears, though I did do the belly button thing when I was younger.

Q: If you could be intimate with three people (not necessarily all at one time *g*) without getting in trouble with your significant other, who would they be?
A: Ryan Reynolds, Adam Levine and David Boreanaz with Channing Tatum as the cherry on top (and mom stop reading here….I’d take them all at once ) Yes, I know there are four listed there, but I’ve never pondered this question so to narrow it down was REALLY tough.

Q: If you were stranded on a desert island, what three things would you want with you?
A: How can you limit a girl to only THREE items? Laptop, cell phone and a well-toned cabana boy skilled in the art of massage ready to answer to my every whim.

Q: If you won the lottery tomorrow, what would you spend the money on?
A: I would put money away for my children. Then I would by a house, a macbook, a trip to Ireland, gorgeous shoes, a closet to house the shoes.

Q: Which household chore do you abhor and why?
A: Cleaning bathrooms. Twin five yr old boys who fail to remember to lift the seat when they go potty. Enough said.

Q: What’s your favorite comfort food?
A: Anything my mother cooks from my childhood. One of my favorite things though is really a fairly simple meal. Mashed potatoes, milk gravy, grilled chicken, and mixed vegetables. Don’t ask why, it just is. Kind of a simple girl I guess. Oh and if my mother is not up to making that, then a good piece of tiramisu will suffice.

Q: Do you have any guilty pleasures you feel comfortable sharing?
A: Shoes. Oh wait that’s not what you meant is it? Well I have to tell you at the moment, finding a gorgeous pair of shoes ranks up there with a mind numbing orgasm if you ask me. And you did. 

Q: Do you have a favorite book or movie?
A: Of course! I have both. My favorite movie is currently Underworld. Hot vampire guys? Come on who could resist? My favorite book, well it’s a series really. I love Jeaniene Frost’s Night Huntress Series. Once again…hot hero with fangs…. Enough said.

Q: Anything else you’d like to share?
A: I am quickly becoming a sports fan. The way I figure it, as a mom of two boys, knowing a little something about sports will be a necessity in my life. We like baseball. My best friend will cringe seeing as she is a huge Cubs fan and though I do indulge in different teams just to get a baseball fix, my boys and I have developed a thing for the Red Sox. The twins like to watch “Biggie” but anyone who follows baseball even occasionally realizes that Papi is not having a good year. My kids still get excited when he comes to bat or when he manages to ‘slip into base’ as they like to call it. See why I like being a mother of boys?

Q: In closing, tell us a bit about your latest release (& share a yummy excerpt for those who aren’t yet familiar with your work)
A: I would love to! This is from my release Buckling Down which was published in May by Samhain. The morning after can sometimes feel awkward, but this scene between Sydney and Levi never fails to make me smile. (Every writer has those scenes and this is one of mine.)

Sydney woke the next morning with something very hard and masculine pressed against her ass. Ah, the male physique could be such a beautiful thing. Levi tightened his arm around her and pulled her back against him. A low moan reverberated along the base of her neck, and it sent a small spasm of pleasure rolling through her. She turned her body so she could face him.

He had a mischievous grin on his face. “Morning.”

She studied his face, admired the feel of his muscles under her hand as she worked her way down his side, then back up, pushing gently against his shoulder. As he rolled to his back, he pulled her with him and then propped an arm behind his head. “Are you trying to take advantage of me, Miss Hart?”

“It’s hard to take advantage of the willing.” She slid down him a bit, the length of him hard against her stomach. Laying her arms across his chest, she rested her chin on the top of one hand while gently tracing the outline of his nipple with the other. Letting out a slow breath of air, she watched as his nipple puckered. He shuddered slightly.

“I think you might be the devil in disguise,” he moaned.

She licked his chest.

“Oh God, you are the devil.”

She lifted her head with a sigh. “And what exactly do you think you are, Mr. McKenna?”

“Famished. You are quite a workout.” He winked at her.

Thank you so much for the fun interview, I have really enjoyed my time here. You have been such a wonderful hostess!

http://moirakeith.com

I received this through one of the many lists I belong to and thought I would share it with you all.

Practical Swine flu advice (H1N1 FLU VIRUS)

The only portals of entry are the nostrils and mouth/throat. In a global epidemic of this nature, it’s almost impossible to avoid coming into contact with H1N1, in spite of all precautions. Contact with H1N1 is not so much of a problem as proliferation is.

While you are still healthy and not showing any symptoms of H1N1 infection, in order to prevent proliferation, aggravation of symptoms and development of secondary infections, some very simple steps, not fully highlighted in most official communications, can be practiced (instead of focusing on how to stock N95 or Tamiflu):

1. Frequent hand-washing (well highlighted in all official communications).

2. “Hands-off-the-face” approach. Resist all temptations to touch any part of face (unless you want to eat, bathe, etc). Viruses are most frequently transported via the facial area via hands touching eyes, mouth, nose, etc.

3. *Gargle twice a day with warm salt water (use Listerine if you don’t trust salt). *H1N1 takes 2-3 days after initial infection in the throat / nasal cavity to proliferate and show the 20 characteristic symptoms. Simple gargling prevents proliferation. In a way, gargling with salt water has the same effect on a healthy individual that Tamiflu has on an infected one. Don’t underestimate this simple, inexpensive and powerful preventative method.

4. Similar to 3 above, *clean your nostrils at least once every day with warm salt water — also, *blowing the nose hard once a day and swabbing both nostrils with cotton buds dipped in warm salt water is very effective in bringing down a viral population.*

5. *Boost your natural immunity with foods that are rich in Vitamin C (Amla and other citrus fruits). *If you have to supplement with Vitamin C tablets, make sure that it also has Zinc to boost absorption.

6. *Drink as much of warm liquids (tea, coffee, etc) as you can. *Drinking warm liquids has the same effect as gargling, but in the reverse direction. They wash off proliferating viruses from the throat into the stomach where they cannot survive, proliferate or do any harm.

President Obama will sign the Byrd-Shepard Hate Crimes Act into law, making it a federal offense to perpetrate violent acts based on bias against a group of people, including gays.

The act is named for Matthew Shepard, a young gay Wyoming man who was kidnapped, beaten, and left tied to a fence post in 1998, and James Byrd Jr., a African-American man who was dragged for three miles behind a pick-up truck in Texas the same year. Both men died from their injuries.

More details about the law can be found here.

The author of the internationally syndicated column “Savage Love” brings much-needed humor, and a reality check, to the bitter gay-marriage debate with this polemical memoir. As Savage (Skipping Towards Gomorrah) and his boyfriend, Terry, neared their 10th anniversary, Savage’s mother put on the pressure for them to get married. But, Savage notes, there were several other points to consider before deciding to tie the knot: among them, the fact that marriage doesn’t provide legal protection in Washington State; Terry prefers tattoos as a sign of commitment; and their six-year-old son declared that only men and women can get married. Furthermore, Savage himself worried that the relationship would be jinxed by anything more permanent than a big anniversary bash, though the one they plan quickly assumes the proportions and price of a wedding reception. While documenting the couple’s wobble toward a decision, Savage skewers ideologues, both pro– and anti–gay marriage, with his radical pragmatism. Disproving Tolstoy’s dictum that “happy families are all alike,” he takes a sharp-eyed, compassionate look at matrimony as it is actually practiced by friends, his raucously affectionate family and even medieval Christians. When he explains to his son what marriage is really about, you want to stand up and cheer, and the surprise ending is both hilarious and a tear-jerker. As funny as David Sedaris’s essay collections, but bawdier and more thought-provoking, this timely book shows that being pro-family doesn’t have to mean being anti-gay.

Best known for his syndicated sexual advice column, “Savage Love,” Dan Savage shares his own story in The Kid, a hilarious account of his efforts–along with his partner–to adopt a child. (Whoops, make that his boyfriend; Savage can’t stand the “genderless” P-word: “Straight people and press organs that want to acknowledge gay relationships while at the same time pushing the two-penises stuff as far out of their minds as possible love ‘partner.’ I hated it.”) Savage doesn’t give an inch on the sexuality issue; it’s hard to imagine that a homophobic reader would even pick up The Kid, but if it happened, Savage’s unapologetic presentation of his life would quickly scare that reader off. Which isn’t to say that he paints a rosy picture of homosexual cohabitation: the very first scene finds Dan’s boyfriend, Terry, locking himself in the bathroom after a fight over the music on the car stereo. The misadventures continue through each step of the open-adoption process, in which Dan and Terry get to know their baby’s birth mother, and the first few weeks of parenthood. The Kid is a wonderful, charming account of real “family values” that proves love knows no limits

Someone once said that a literary classic is a book that captures the essence of its own time, place, and culture while simultaneously transcending those limits to achieve universality. By that definition is already a classic. It is an absorbing inspirational journey into one man’s obsession to create a family. Not just a gay book this is a profoundly human testimony to the strength of the human spirit. Overcoming all odds, Dr. Morgen and his life partner, Sam, show us how love caring and unshakable determination can triumph over prejudice and disappointment.

Sunday, October 25^th is Gay Day at the Ethan Day Yahoo Group.  Gay Day is the one day a month when the best authors in GLBT Romance stop by to post excerpts of their new and upcoming releases. 

You’ll have a shot at winning one of the following e-books generously provided by the following authors this month!

Muse by Clare London

A Pint Light by Devon Rhodes available October 26th

A.J. Llewellyn’s newest release, Deeper Blue - available for purchase on Gay Day, October 25th

Jaime Samms will be giving away the winners choice of either Apron Strings or WindBlown

Amanda Young will be giving away an Autographed copy of Pyromancer

ePistols at Dawn by Z.A Maxfield

Timeless by Nix Winter

Love Me Dead – The newest release from Lex Valentine, an antho with William Maltese & AM Riley

Finding Love – Simone Anderson

Jambrea Jo Jones is giving winners choice of either Heart Song or Runaway Man

Dash & Dingo: In Search of the Tasmanian Tiger by Sean Kennedy

Pull by Bryl Tyne

In addition, these and many other amazing Authors will be popping in and out to post excerpts of their latest books and chat:

P.A. Brown – Memory of Darkness

AKM Miles – Take It EASY - Coming November 25th

S.J. Frost – Conquest

Lynn Lorenz – My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys – Coming November 15th

Bryl Tyne – Coin Operated Boy

Adrianne Brennan – Dawn of the Seraphs

Andrew Grey – Love Means…Courage

Barbara Sheridan – Such A Good Boy

The day will begin from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. CST in the Ethan Day Yahoo Group where we’ll be posting excerpts, running contests for free books, and chatting about all the new and upcoming releases from your favorite authors.

From 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. CST we’ll be hosting another LIVE Chat which is pretty much a free for all, anything-goes-chat that’ll inevitably have you uttering the phrase, “What the f**k?” : ) (The link to the LIVE CHAT will be posted in the Yahoo Group.)

Stop by to catch up with your favorite authors and join in all the fun!

Please welcome this weeks guest, Laura Ashton. Thanks for answering all my nosy questions, Laura.

Q: What genre do you write in, and why?
A: So far I write contemporary erotic ménage romance, I do have a Civil War era western erotic romance in my WIP though. (wink!)

Q: How long did you write before you received your first contract for publication?
A: I wrote for a long time before I decided to write fiction. Then when I decided that was what I wanted to write, I zeroed in on the a popular sub-genre, with a publisher who specialized in that sub-genre and my first two books were picked right up after about six months writing time.

Q: So, if you don’t mind sharing, would you tell us about your latest work in progress?
A: Well my two upcoming books, Jasmine’s Urban Cowboys and Sharing Brenda, were the first two books from my Sensual Awakenings Series, so my current WIP is book three of the series, Vickie’s Secret and the Civil War story I mentioned, is called Desperate Love.

Q: Out of all the stories you’ve written, which is your favorite?
A: It’s not done yet, in fact it’s really just started, but so far I’m liking Desperate Love, a lot.

Q: Do you need to be in a specific place or atmosphere before the words flow?
A: Probably not a specific place or atmosphere, but I work much better in the wee early hours of the morning. I can’t stand distractions. An exception to this is music. When I feel the need, it lubricates my mind and makes things flow better.

Q: If you could offer one tidbit of information for new writers, what would it be?
A: If you get disgusted with the closed door attitude of print publishers and agents, give digital publishing a try. You don’t need an agent and the ebook industry is on the way up while the print book industry has an uncertain future.

I might add. You still need a good book, though.

Q: Do you have an evil day job or do you write full time?
A: Hey. I’m just starting. What do you think? I’m in the very unglamorous business of retail sales.

Q: What’s your favorite dirty word?
A: Ah-hah! So this is an X rated interview. What other sexy questions do you have planned for me?

Q: Since you brought it up, if you could be intimate with three people (not necessarily all at one time *g*) without getting in trouble with your significant other, who would they be?
A: Boy! That would be the day, where I wouldn’t get in trouble. Sounds like fun, though. Maybe you could talk with my husband. Tell him it would be research for our next novel. (wink!) Yeah he helps me, but I’m the driving force.

Okay, back to your penetrating question. Since I write ménages, if I could sleep with three hunks guilt free, it would definitely be at the same time. Now, who would the lucky lads be? I’ve always had a thing for Greg Kinnear, so he’d be number one, and rock musicians are sexy and the sexiest is Jon Bon Jovi, so he’d be number two, then I’d just have to have Wolverine in my bed, so Hugh Jackman would be number three and of course what ménage list would be complete without the irrepressible Brad Pitt. You did say four, didn’t you?

Q: Do you have any tattoos or piercings?
A: No, my body is my temple, although I occasionally see a tattoo that catches my fancy and wonder how that would look on moi. However, hubby tried to convince me to get a boob job. I quizzed him, “Just what does ‘for better or for worse mean’? I didn’t ask you to get a penis enlargement, did I?”

Q: If you were stranded on a desert island, what three things would you want with you?
A: We seem to be fixating on the number three. (snicker) Is it because I write ménages? Hmmm, stranded island? Assuming we had a renewable supply of bananas, coconuts and beer, I would like my laptop, with my solar charger, so I could work on my next novel. My husband in a loin cloth and if he wasn’t available, my vibrator with a lifetime supply of batteries. Let’s see that leaves one more thing right?

I know, a magic lantern complete with genie so he could grant me three wishes.

Q: Do you have any guilty pleasures you feel comfortable sharing?
A: This is beyond guilty. It’s foolish. Bluebell, Pecan Pralines and Cream ice cream. Fortunately, the supermarket takes pity on me and is usually out of it.

Q: Anything else you’d like to share?
A: You mean besides my body with Wolverine and company? I think maybe we’ve pressed our luck enough with respect to my marriage, thank you. He already knows I have an adventurous mind.

Q: In closing, tell us a bit about your latest release (& share a yummy excerpt for those who aren’t yet familiar with your work)
A: Ha ha, I’ll bet you’re expecting an ‘R’ rated excerpt.

My first release, Jasmine’s Urban Cowboys, is scheduled for release Monday, May 18th. It’s about a woman that can’t seem to make up her mind, but I’ll let you read the blurb and then a ‘PG’ rated excerpt:

Blurb
After a nightmare marriage and a bitter divorce, Jasmine is ready to celebrate big time. Jaz meets Ted and Gabe, two deliciously attractive, available men. Having spent a celibate year waiting for her divorce, waking up in the arms of a gorgeous hunk after a night of hot sex was at the top of Jaz’s list. Either of these dreamboats would be wonderful, but which one? When she has trouble deciding Jaz makes the decision. If either of them would be good, then both of them would be twice as good!
With that thought burning into her psyche, Jaz returns determined to seduce not one, but both of the ready and willing studs. What follows is a sexy, sometimes humorous story where the things that happen that night entwine all their lives, changing them forever.

Excerpt One
Jasmine looked around the lounge for Gabe and Ted and spotted them in a booth behind them, just as Ralph and Billy returned with their drinks.
After a few minutes of rah, rah for beating the first place team, Ralph finished his drink and got up to leave. “Sorry to drink and run, but I have an early day tomorrow.” He took her hand. “Jaz, you can sub for Teresa anytime.” He kissed Brenda on the cheek. Straightening, he said, “I’ll see you next week, Bren.” Then he turned to his friend. “Ready, Billy?”
Billy stuck his hands out to the side and shrugged. “I’d like to stay and dance with y’all, but Ralph’s my ride. Thanks. It’s been fun.”
The waitress cleared their glasses. Looking them over, she asked, “Another round?”
She cringed as Miss Big Mouth said, “Heck, yes. It isn’t every day my friend Jasmine gets divorced. I had a stinger and she had a frozen margarita.”
She smiled. “Celebrating, huh?”
They nodded.
“I’ll see that the bartender gives you a little extra.”
When the drinks arrived, she took a sip through the straw like she usually did and stopped. She waved her hand in front of her mouth as if it burned. “Wow, she wasn’t kidding. Taste this.”
Brenda took a sip and drew back, whistled and waved a hand in front of her mouth. “That’ll get you going. You better nurse that.”
“I know. One more of these and I’ll be under the table.”
The waitress hadn’t been gone five minutes before she returned, setting down duplicates of the drinks she’d just served. Jasmine was about to tell the waitress she’d made a mistake when the waitress preempted her, “Compliments of the gentlemen in the booth over there. You lucky girl.” Brenda and she turned their heads in the direction the waitress had nodded, at two friendly, familiar faces. Gabe and Ted having their attention, smiled and waved.
When they waved back, Gabe said something to Ted, scrambled out of the booth, and headed their way. He sat down between them. “We’d be honored if the two prettiest ladies in this establishment joined us.”
Jaz flashed a crooked smile and teased playfully. “So go ask them.”
Gabe’s narrowed eyes simmered with molten heat as he looked directly at her. “Oh, but I just did.”
Brenda stared at her wristwatch. “You know, Jaz, since I’m engaged I’m tempted to leave you in Gabe and Ted’s capable hands..”
What is she saying? “You want to leave?”
“Yep, gotta go.”
Jasmine stared at Gabe. “Would you excuse us while we visit the ladies’ room?”
Gabe grabbed her arm as she rose. “I’ll be back in our booth when you come back.”
Jaz nodded, grabbed Brenda’s hand and dragged her into the restroom. “What are you saying? You want to leave me with these…these cowboys? I thought you were going to watch my back?”
“I am. Look, you like these guys and it’s obvious they like you. I’m not blind. I can smell the fireworks waiting to erupt. And I’d only be in the way. When I’m gone, you can pick one if you want and have a fling. I can’t think of a better way to celebrate your new freedom than having a liaison with one of those handsome studs.”
Brenda laughed at the incredulous look on her face. “You have the same look my eighth grade art teacher, Miss Roberts gave me when I suggested she have an affair with Mr. Phillips, the P.E. coach.”
She laughed loud, but nervously. “You did that?”
Brenda nodded. “Ah-huh.”
“And did she?”
“I think so. She got pregnant and they got married.”
She had trouble believing her story. “Bren, you’re something else. She should’ve made you her maid of honor.” Then she shook her head. “This is different. I’ve never seen these men before tonight. You think I should pick one of them and sleep with him?”
“I would.”
“Which one?”
“I don’t know. They’re both hot. You can’t go wrong no matter who you choose.”
“If you can’t pick, how am I supposed to decide on one?”
“Then don’t.”
“Now you’re making sense. If you’re leaving so am I.”
“Oh, no you’re not. That’s not what I meant. If you’re having trouble selecting one of them, then take both of them. Think about it. If one would be good, two would be twice as good.”
“Why not have sex with both of them. Now that would be a celebration to dream about.” She grouped the ends of her fingers together, then kissed and flicked them open Italiano style. “A ‘Tour de Force’ of celebrations!”

Being self employed rocks. However, there are times when it also sucks big time. Especially for a procrastinator like me. When you don’t have a boss breathing down your neck, it’s very easy to wake up one morning and realize you’ve accomplished a whole lot of nothing lately. In an effort to build up a little accountability for myself, I’ve decided to start using a trusty little progress meter for my works in progress. Every Wednesday I plan to post and share what I’ve accomplished in the last week.

At the moment, I’m working on the fourth and final book in the Reckless series, Reckless Determination.

I wanted to draw your attention to this important petition that I recently signed:

“Fight eBook Piracy”
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/fightebookpiracy?e

I really think this is an important cause, and I’d like to encourage you to add your signature, too. It’s free and takes less than a minute of your time.

Thanks!