Weekend Flirt: 10 things he's thinking when you're naked

10 things he's thinking when you're naked

1. That webcam didn’t begin to do her justice.

2. Only one beer? Check. Ate the Altoids? Check. Pre-date safety orgasm? Check.

3. Please don’t put on the baggy T-shirt!

4. Duuuuuude!

5. Interesting. Another nipple shape for my mental collection.

6. Who is Mike? And what is his name doing there?

7. Hmm…have I ever washed these sheets?

8. I kinda don’t care if they’re fake.

9. Focus on her eyes, focus on her eyes, focus on her…oh, forget it.

10. Suck in my gut, suck in my gut, suck in my…oh, forget it.

Midnight Brew Tempt Me With Darkness Contest

The Midnight Brew's Tempt Me With Darkness Contest Winner is:

Chris!
in Minnesota

Congratulations!
Please email us at midnightmooncafe @ gmail. com (no spaces) with your full name and mailing address so we can make sure you get your signed copy of Shayla Black's awesome book!

Reminder:
The contest for the cat tarot deck closes today (Saturday) at midnight
and a winner will be chosen this Sunday, February 1.


So if you haven't entered, better do it quick!
To Enter: leave a comment on January's Tarot Talk post.

Good Luck!

Moonlight is baaaack...!!!

Oh happy, happy, joy, joy!!! *does the Ren & Stimpy bump and grind dance* Last Friday while surfing channels looking for something to entertain myself since "Sanctuary" season ended, I was surprised to see one of my favorite guilty pleasures - Moonlight - on the SciFi Channel. So the next day I dropped by the SciFi Channel's website, and it says they're going to show all 16 episodes of Moonlight (follow the link for more info). Hmm... Funny thing... The SciFi Channel was one of the few approached by the producers of the show when CBS dropped it, and they didn't pick it up. I wonder... Oh well... Anyway, it's on every Friday at 9:00 pm ET. That's tonight! *Tigger bounce* So those of you who didn't get a chance to buy the series on DVD, like me (since our local Borders sucks and hasn't brought it yet! *grrr*), now you can watch it. *wg* I know tonight I'm having a date with a charmingly sexy vampire, so I've got my red wine and chocolates to enjoy it. *winks*

The Midnight Brew Presents: Shayla Black

Shayla Black is the author of 20+ sizzling contemporary, erotic, paranormal, and historical romances for multiple print and electronic publishers. She lives in Texas with her husband, munchkin, and one very spoiled cat. In her “free” time, she enjoys reality TV, reading and listening to an eclectic blend of music.

Shayla has won or placed in over a dozen writing contests, including Passionate Ink’s Passionate Plume, Colorado Romance Writers Award of Excellence, and the National Reader’s Choice Awards. Romantic Times has awarded her Top Picks, a KISS Hero Award and a nomination for Best Erotic Romance of 2007. Her latest release, TEMPT ME WITH DARKNESS, a paranormal/urban fantasy romance with Pocket, is the first of the Doomsday Brethren series and was released in September 2008.

A writing risk-taker, Shayla enjoys tackling writing challenges with every book.

The Midnight Moon Café is pleased to welcome Ms. Shayla Black!

MMC: Welcome to the Midnight Moon Café, Shayla. When did you first become interested in writing paranormal and urban fantasy romances?

SB: I’ve always been a big fan of movies like Excalibur, Practical Magic, etc. Story elements just buzzed in my head. I had the idea for the Doomsday Brethren series back in 1996. It’s been brewing in my head since then. I started the first book when I first had the idea, then put it aside when I realized I just didn’t have the skill yet to write it. A few years later, after I was published, I took it out once more, and again realized I wasn’t ready. I dusted it off again about two years ago, reworked a bunch of it—and sold the first three in the series. This is near and dear to my heart, and I’m really hoping that readers dig into this series.

MMC: How do you celebrate a good day in writing?

SB: By writing more. After 20+ books, I don’t really have the time to reward every good writing day, though one of my resolutions for 2009 is to try to celebrate the little things more. Recently, I’ve had had many great writing days so I can make my deadlines, and I’m going to pat myself on the back with the Guitar Hero with my family later. But, at the end of the day, the reward of the work well done itself gives me a warm fuzzy.

MMC: What do you do when you get stuck in a story?

SB: Great question! I have two particularly dear friends who are incredibly helpful. One is my lunch/plotting buddy. We joke that we have the same brain, and he’s great at listening to me go on until we have a solution. The other, author Melissa Schroeder, is a friend who lives across the country. IM has been a lifesaver, and when I have problems, sometimes I just ping her and say, “What do you think about…” She’s almost always got opinions. We’re alike in that respect.

MMC: Let's talk a little about world-building in the Doomsday Brethren Series. How did you come up with your backstory for this series? And how does that setting affect your main characters?

SB: It’s been so long since I devised all this… Really, it came in stages. With anything I write, it’s a product of a lot of time and thought and bouncing ideas off people before I ever commit a word to page. Some ideas are so subconscious for me. I ponder a problem and see no solution, then suddenly when I reach that part of the book, it’s there. With this series, the world building affects the way they fight and live and love, think, act, behave. It really permeates every part of their lives.

MMC: Since you’re dealing with the Arthurian myth/story, what sort of research is required to bring it to life?

SB: One part of the series has roots in Arthurian myths, which I researched, but because the series itself takes place in modern day UK, I’ve focused more of my research there. I’ve always loved Arthurian legends, so I’ve read them naturally and tweaked them a bit for my purposes. But I haven’t been in the UK in a decade, so I’ve had to reach out for that information a bit more. I am hoping, however, to make a return trip to the UK soon.

MMC: Now let’s talk about “Tempt Me with Darkness,” which is the first installment in the new series. Tell us more about this story.

SB: I’ll share the official backcover blurb:

He’s an immortal knight hungering for satisfaction. . . .

As soon as Marrok sees Olivia Gray, he’s sure they met in eons past. He’s felt her soft, gentle curves writhing in pleasure beneath his own powerful body. . . Morganna! For centuries, towering Marrok, once the mightiest of King Arthur’s warriors, has endured a terrible curse the witch cast upon him when he spurned the witch.

She’s a modern woman about to discover ancient magic. . . .

Olivia shares a mystical—and irresistible—connection with brooding Marrok. Soon after the sexy warrior appears in her erotic dreams, he abducts her, demanding she uncurse him. Their intense passion is more powerful—and intimate—than either of them has ever known. Olivia may be the key to unlocking the diary that will break Morganna’s hold on his life. But in the wrong hands, the book also holds the power to destroy magickind. As they search for answers, a ruthless wizard returned from exile is building an army of evil. When he discovers Marrok and Olivia have the diary, only their love—with the help of a powerful group of magical Brethren—can save them.

MMC: What challenges have you faced in the process of writing Tempt Me with Darkness?

SB: World building was my biggest challenge. I had never done it before, and wasn’t sure how to go about it. I read a lot, of course. I took some classes, but doing it is more daunting than I thought. Outlining the world, laying out so many characters, delivering a story and a romance—a lot to pack into 100,000 words!

MMC: What do you enjoy most about writing this book?

SB: The challenge of putting all this together within deadline and word count swam in my head, but at the end of the day, I was most intrigued by taking a Dark Ages man and bringing him into modern civilization, giving him a modern woman and shoving him into a whole new situation in a world he despised…all while trying to figure out how to break his immortality. This series is near and dear to my heart, and I’m really hoping that readers dig into it.

MMC: What attracts you about the paranormal characters you write about?

SB: Their complexity. I like deep people facing difficult problems in the middle of global turmoil. I like testing a character’s mettle and showing the reader what the character is made of.

MMC: Let's say you've just landed a movie deal, and you get to pick the actor who'll play Marrok, who would you pick and why?

SB: Easy. Gerard Butler. Yum!

MMC: Would there be another book in Doomsday Brethren Series? If so, can you give us a preview?

SB: Actually, there are 2 more coming this fall! In October, SEDUCE ME IN SHADOW will hit shelves. The very next month, November, POSSESS ME AT MIDNIGHT debuts. I’m super-thrilled about both and think they really enrich and deepen the world and the collective story of these characters’ lives. On my December 24 and 25 blogs, I posted small excerpts from each of the next two books. Folks can pop over there and take a read!

I’m also hoping to announce more Doomsday Brethren releases in the near future. Stay tuned!

MMC: What do you think is the key writing a truly memorable story?

SB: Making people think and feel, cry, laugh, ache, want—all at once. Characters people care about. I think, if the author invests in the characters and gives them meaningful story with lots of rich conflicts to experience, solve, and learn from, readers can ride along and identify with the journey in a more personal way.

MMC: Now to the fun questions. What's something that your readers may not know about you?

SB: Some people might be surprised that I’m sort of an anti-female. That is, I frequently don’t think like a female. I was raised by a lot of very strong-willed men, so I learned early that if you wanted to be heard, you had to be assertive. I learned it was bad not to have an opinion, and if you didn’t have one, to go do research until you had an educated one. I learned that keeping the peace for the sake of keeping it made you a pansy. Better to resolve conflict than bury it. That said, I do enjoy chick flicks and (obviously) romance novels. I can be a girly-girl when I want to.

MMC: Can you give us an idea of what your writing/working area looks like?

SB: We moved a few years ago, and I have a bigger office with a walk-in closet, which is great. The room itself is light and somewhat beachy. The walls are a color called Sunrise, which is sort of a soft peachy-pink. I have a comfy reading chair with stripes of light blue, light green, yellow and white. My furniture is antique white with cherry tops. I switched my desktop for a laptop and lined up research books behind me. Fiction and other handy office supplies are in the closet. It’s really a great set up!

MMC: When not writing, how do you relax?

SB: Reading, clearly. I enjoy a trip to the gym, watching shows on cable—things about astronomy, paleontology, all kinds of history. Also a big fan of shows like Designed to Sell and House Hunters on HGTV. Enjoy TLC shows like 17 and Counting. Must admit to enjoying reality TV, as well. Greatly anticipating the return of American Idol. We also play a lot of Guitar Hero at my house.

MMC: What’s your favorite guilty pleasure?

SB: I have a few… Sneaking away to the movies or the bookstore with friends, margarita lunches with writing buddies, curling up with a good book, and my (admittedly) crazy love of facials.

MMC: Do you have a newsletter, blog, or website where fans can read about you and your books? 



SB: Here are all the places to see about my books and interact with me:
http://www.shaylablack.com

http://doomsdaybrethren.com/
http://www.myspace.com/shelleybradley

Contest Time!

TEMPT ME WITH DARKNESS
Doomsday Brethren Series, Book 1 - Marrok & Olivia

Publisher: Pocket Books
ISBN-13: 978-1416558583
Genre: Paranormal/Urban Fantasy Romance

Click here to read the first chapter!

Click here to watch the book video!

Want to win your very own signed copy of Tempt Me With Darkness? Leave a comment on this post and you will be entered into the drawing. Contest ends at midnight, Friday, January 30, 2009 and will be announced here on the MMC blog.
Good Luck!

Beyond 'Angelic' Hunk

Just because he's no longer Angel, doesn't mean we can't *drool*.

Afraid to get hooked on TV series

Nowadays when people ask me which TV shows I watch, I simply answer none. Sure, my full-time job doesn't leave me with much time to sit down to relax before the TV. However, that's not the reason why I no longer follow a serie. You see, I've become leering to get attach to a series. Lately it seems like every time the networks put out a series I can sit and watch, they pull the plug on it when I'm already totally hooked. For instance, Moonlight last year. You all know already I've got a huge bone to pick with the network executives about its cancellation.

Then just I recently heard on one of those TV news that again the network executives decided to cancel another of my favorite shows, Pushing Daisies, after one season too. *grr* Okay, I admit the whole voice-over was kind of turned off for me, but the series was pretty good once I got into the groove of it. *sighs*

Recently the SciFi Channel created a new series, Sanctuary, which I've watched a few times. I really liked the premise of it, and the few episodes I saw were great. But after what they did to the Dresden Files, I haven't watched it as often as I would like to afraid they might cancel this new series too after the first season. Now let me tell you, it's a great series. I highly recommend it to you. The final episode of the season was two weeks ago, so let's hope it comes back for a second season.

Then a few weeks ago I found another great series, Legend of the Seeker. (Yep, that pic on the right is actor Craig Horner, who plays Richard Cypher, the Seeker. I knoooow, more male titties. Like you all complaining about it now. Hahaha!) Have anyone here has been watching it? It's a fantasy one based on author Terry Goodkind's The Sword of Truth and produced by the same producers who brought us Hercules: The Legendary Journeys and Xena: Warrior Princess, Raimi and Tapert. I'm not into fantasy, but gosh, this series is so good. But then again, I'm worried that those pig-headed executives at the network decide to cancel it and I'll be left high and dry. Ugh! *sighs*

Picky authorness

Okay, I don't have some spine-tingling tale of my own paranormal experiences today. What weighs heavily on my mind lately (seeing as I'm in the midst of writing a very dark and gritty paranormal novel) are the things in other books that drive me crazy. It makes me wonder if I'm just so damned picky because I've had my ass spanked so many times by editors--or, do other readers notice them too?

In the past month and a half I've read everything published by a certain terribly famous YA author, and at times I felt like I was being bludgeoned by her repetitive words and plot vehicles.

One entire saga was absolutely rife with: beautiful, bronze, angel, icy, winterish, marble, granite, planes, liquid topaz, glared, and I could continue. Then, there is the whining of the heroine through four books, of thinking she's not good enough, no person so perfect and lovely could possibly want her... Sure, she threw in a major curve ball, one that has the readers buzzing, and most of the ones I've talked to hating, despite understanding the why's of it all. But it is the repitious, near mantra like usage of those words that haunts me.

Then, in her stand alone novel, whihc is much better written IMHO, there is a very similar plot vehicle of two guys, one girl (of sorts) and the impossibility of one character being able to love another. And nearly as easily fixed in the end as the 'big nothing' of the fourth book of the other saga.

Please don't get me started on the Mary Sue-ness of it all.

When I write, I strive for strong characters, ones that know their own mind and make compromises to be together, despite seeming insurmountable odds. I also work very hard to keep out redundancies--especially now, after being spanked by editors.

So, I have to wonder, am I just picky because I'm an author, or are others like-minded? Do you feel like you've been battered after reading some books? Does it matter to you, or are the repetitions something accepted, comfortable?

Talk amoungst yourselves while I run out for coffee.
Smooches!

Winner of the Name The Author Game is...

Debby G. !

Congratulations, Debby!
You've won the cool moon talisman pin.

The correct answers were:

1. Lynn Kurland

2. Christine Feehan

3. Lynsay Sands

4. Lynn Viehl

5. Diana Gabaldan

6. Jim Butcher

7. Tanya Huff

8. Charlaine Harris

9. Lois McMaster Bujold

10. Nalini Singh

11. Rebecca York

12. Michele Hauf

13. Sherilyn Kenyon

14. Laurel K Hamilton

15. Stephanie Meyer

Check back for more contests as we get ready to celebrate
the month of love (and red hot passion), here at the Midnight Moon Cafe!

Also, if you haven't entered our Tarot Talk contest to win the cat tarot deck, the deadline is January 31! So remember to leave a comment on January's Tarot Talk post!

At The Next Midnight Brew...

We welcome best-selling author Shayla Black to the Midnight Moon Cafe this Thursday, January 29, 2009.

Ms. Black is the author of Tempt Me With Darkness, book 1 in the Doomsday Brethren Series from Pocket Books.

Tempt Me With Darkness

Blurb: He's an immortal knight hungering for satisfaction....

As soon as Marrok sees Olivia Gray's dark windswept hair and burning violet eyes, he's sure they've met in eons past. He's felt her soft gentle curves writhing in pleasure beneath his own hard powerful body...Morganna! For centuries, towering Marrok, once the mightiest of King Arthur's warriors, has endured a terrible curse cast upon him when he spurned the witch.

She's a modern woman about to discover ancient magic....

Olivia shares a mystical -- and irresistible -- connection with brooding Marrok. Soon after the sexy warrior appears in her erotic dreams, he abducts her, demanding she uncurse him. Their intense passion is more powerful -- and intimate -- than either of them has ever known. Olivia may be the key to unlocking the diary that will break Morganna's hold on his life. But in the wrong hands, the book also holds the power to destroy all magickind. As they search for answers, a ruthless wizard returned from exile is building an army of evil. When he discovers Marrok and Olivia have the diary, only their love -- with the help of a powerful group of magical Brethren -- can save them.

Name The Author Game!

Can you name the author of these memorable heroes and heroines?

Email us at midnightmooncafe @gmail .com (no spaces) with your answers and if you're correct,

you might win this wicked cool talisman pin from Eclectic Enchantments! Good Luck!

Ready to give it a try?
Remember - do not post your answers, email us. :wink:

1. Connor MacDougal
2. Mikhail Dubrinksky
3. Lucern Argeneau
4. Aedan mac Byrne
5. Jaime Fraser
6. Harry Dresden
7. Vicki Nelson
8. Sookie Stackhouse
9. Miles Vorkosigan
10. Clay Bennett
11. Caleb Marshall
12. Truvin Stone
13. Julian of Macedon
14. Richard Zeeman
15. Isabella Swan
    

Dream Warrior - Excerpt 2!

Check out the excerpt for "Dream Warrior"

For all you Dark Hunters fans, Ms. Sherrilyn Kenyon will be releasing her next book in the related series, Dream-Hunters, on February 3rd. *wg* Here's a sneak peek:

Warm Winter Nights Celebration II

Another night and more sizzling excerpts to keep you warm...so get ready and be tempted by some of today's best paranormal erotic and sensual romance authors. Our guests today are authors Cheryl Dragon, Diana DeRicci, and Violet Summers.


Curse of the Mexican Opal
by Cheryl Dragon

ISBN #9781419915208
Ellora's Cave

Sex when or where you can get caught was always a turn-on for Gina and Jason — until they actually got caught.

She dumped him, trying to deny her wild side, but now six months later she's calling him for help. A bracelet with a kinky curse requires his paranormal expertise. But before they can cleanse the bracelet, they're up to their old tricks in her jewelry shop and having new fun on videotape.

Gina can't get enough but can she take the chance again? She trusts Jason. A good man who shares her sexual kink is hard to find but she's not sure she can trust herself not to overreact when he wants more…

By reading any further, you are stating that you are at least 18 years of age.

An Excerpt From: CURSE OF THE MEXICAN OPAL
Copyright © CHERYL DRAGON, 2008

The bell on the front door jingled and Gina looked up. He was back in her shop. Jason Rayne—oldest of the Rayne boys and unbearably addictive. Six foot two and built with muscle, he could have any woman he wanted. His arms were strong and his chest was broad and thick. Outwardly he looked like a nice guy in good shape. A typical Irish-son-of-Boston with brown hair and green eyes who loved the Red Sox. His face was handsome and open. Everyone smiled at him.

Gina knew him deeper. The risks he liked to take. The secrets they shared. One year of dating him and she’d never been the same.

“Hey.” Jason hung his jacket up on the hook. “You okay?”

Gina nodded. She wasn’t but didn’t trust her voice.

“You don’t look okay.” Jason rounded the glass cases and slipped past the employees-only swinging partition.

Suddenly he was next to her. The scent of him mixed with a touch of the cologne she loved went right to her core. “I’m fine. It’s the bracelet.” She held up her left wrist.

His warm rough hand closed around her wrist and turned it to see the detail. “Nice. Didn’t know jewelry was getting you off these days. No new guy?” Jason let her wrist go and moved behind her.

With the glass case in front and Jason’s warm body behind her, Gina pressed back. The full mirror on the opposite wall reflected their image. They’d done this before and every time she wanted it again. Jason’s palms went to the glass on either side of her hands. He was waiting for her answer.

“No new guy.” Gina half turned and kissed his jaw.

That was the only trigger he needed. Jason crushed his mouth to hers and Gina felt the familiar rush of him overpowering her senses. The need and desire created by the bracelet was washed away by the fuel of Jason’s touch. His arms curled around her waist and one hand slid up under her black top to massage her breasts as the other slid down to tease her outer lips through the thin skirt.

Gina went limp against him except for her mouth, which strained for more. She knew Jason would hold her up—those arms could lift her up while he fucked her at the same time. Another thrill she wanted to relive.

The man had no shame as he held her back flat against him with both hands now under her shirt. Gina arched back for more as he tugged at her hard nipples and squeezed her breasts. He always loved that she never wore a bra. She didn’t need one. They were small but perky and always available for his touch. With Jason’s erection pressed to the small of her back, Gina was glad her chest never grew despite her teenage prayers. He craved her body the way it was.

“Watch yourself in the mirror,” Jason said in her ear.

Gina forced her eyes open and saw Jason and herself. It was as though they’d never been apart. His hands moved under her shirt and pulled the fabric up. The flash of her breasts made her flush. He ground his cock against her and she moaned. Reaching behind, she stroked him through his jeans. “People could see us.”

“Let them. That’s what you want.” He nipped at her neck.

Her hands pulled his down from exposing her breasts but the exchange only aroused her more. Her storefront had a large picture window with a jewelry display. They could be caught. Gina had no idea why she was so risky and why this man could push her to new levels but she loved the rush.

“Pull up the back of your skirt,” he said into her hair.

Love's Immortal Pantheon: Seduction in Moonlight
By: Diana DeRicci
http://www.dianadericci.com

ISBN # 978-1-60767-026-1 (ebook)
Tease Publishing LLC

When Selene is brought to earth by a mortal man, the passion she finds is one she cannot leave, yet she only has three nights of the Flower Moon to experience this wonder. When confronted by Zeus, she risks everything to stay with the man who has stolen her heart.

This is a twisted retelling of the Selene and Endymion story.

By reading any further, you are stating that you are at least 18 years of age.

An Excerpt From: Love's Immortal Pantheon: Seduction in Moonlight
Copyright © DIANA DERICCI, 2008

Chapter One

Moonlight bathed the fields. That was her gift every night to the mortal realm, be it on a star struck, crystal clear night like tonight, or buried behind the tempest of her brother's will, she shined brightly across seas and continents. It was her honor, and her privilege. Most nights she struck her duty as she had for millennia.

Tonight she knew something was different. There was a scent, a wafting lure that danced between earth and sky on the nighttime breeze. Selene's travels through the night sky hadn't changed course in all her time, and she knew it never would. Her place was in the sky, the passions that cocooned herbrilliance reflected in her joyous giving to those beneath her.

Yet tonight, she craved. She craved the beauty of affection, the liberation of adoration. A witness to the same emotional bonds of her fellow brothers and
sisters high in the sky atop Olympus, a connection she had yet to experience. An
ambrosia she had yet to savor. Tonight she would seek her pleasure. Tonight the
knowledge that she would find the freedom she sought consumed her. And she
gloried in that epiphany. Fresh. Free. Beckoning.

Traveling easily on the comforting silvered sliver of a moonbeam, she alighted to the cool darkness of the mortal plane.

* * * *
Edmon looked up, searching the night sky as he did every night. The beauty in the natural glow of the stars that sparkled from above always brought him peace. The heat of the day washed from his skin beneath their watchful glint. He drew air deep into his body, enjoying the brisk spring air. The seductive wave of the lake beside him reflected the full bodied glow of the moon, nearly at her peak, the reflection pearl white on the water's surface with the pure silver of her face.

He had always envisioned a woman when he caught sight of this opalescent
purity. Bold yet genteel. Fierce yet loving. A woman of pure light.

He spread his arms wide and basked in her glow, feeling her heat even though Edmon knew no such thing existed on the frigid face of the moon. He still
felt warmed by her. He always had and tonight, somehow, she felt closer. His skin
tingled as though a woman's touch caressed his skin.

It was a private desire, one he had never shared. A woman who had no face,
no name, no body, but he had always imagined her as his. During the day, he was
a warrior, a legion commander, but on the rare nights he could spend beneath
this beauty, he regained his humanity. And every night he thanked the lovely lady
of the moon for the beauty that she bestowed upon him to reinvigorate his
waning sense of humanity. When blood and battle tirelessly called on his strength
and his duty, he always found a way to return to the mistress of the night, and
groveled if only in his heart for the love and attention he would never find in the
capacity that he desired--hungered for.

Trees waved in the calm breeze that blew across the flat lands, bringing the
scents of spring to him.

And one other that had nothing to do with the land surrounding him.

He turned. "How…" he stammered. "My lady, why are you traveling alone on these dark roads?" Not a sound had alerted him to her arrival, neither chariot nor horse, yet there she stood in calm contemplation, regarding him. She was ethereal in her beauty. Rich brown hair, as dark as his charger's mane sat piled atop her head in thick roping braids, woven through with pearls and pure stones. She stood as tall as he, but had a swaying reed like beauty in her body as she moved, walking closer to him.

He searched in both directions. They were alone. Out of reflex and a caution that was as ingrained as his own voice, he wrapped a hand around his sword. She never flinched.

The tunic she wore draped to the ground, silver and white with threads that
glittered in the moon's white light. Never before had he seen a fabric of its like. It
seemed to create an aura of silver light around her frame, the tie at her shoulder
flowed behind her, drifting on the wind like a silken sail. A single silver arm cuff
graced her sleek build about half the way above her elbow, reflecting yet more of
the moonbeams from overhead. She was a woman of uncommon beauty, and he
swallowed to remind himself to breathe.

"You called to me," the vision replied, when she drew close enough to speak.

A shiver of sheer want struck his spine at the melodic sound. Gods, he thought.

"What kind of magic do you have to hold sway over me?" he asked, stunned, nearly frozen to the ground by her beauty. Fair skin, lovely bright brown eyes and a mouth that knew how to smile, and did so frequently. She was delicate yet Edmon sensed what he saw was not the truth of the feminine beauty before him.

Her lips lifted in one of those soft smiles, the kind he instantly knew she was
naturally capable of.

Nearly ruby red lips, which he already craved with nothing more than a few
words spoken between them. Soft and full, they drew his attention like the nectar
of the sweetest flower to the bee.

"I hold no magic, my dear warrior. It is you who summoned me from my
palace on high." She lifted her gaze and looked proudly at the moon.

"Goddess," he managed. Edmon knew he was staring. How could he not?

"Indeed," she answered, her smile broadening. "Walk with me." She gave him
an enticing look, turning to stroll along the lake's edge.

* * * *
Selene cast a look at her companion. He was unbelievably handsome for a
human mortal. Strong and tall, wide and deep, like the valleys and canyons of the
Earth herself. Timeless in his construction. His stride was confident, his
expression bordering on arrogant, but she knew it was not the man behind the
chest plate that she saw. The man who appealed to her was the one who could
walk this same pace, with nothing on at all and she knew he would be aware of
that fact. He exuded a confidence that called to her. A man in possession of his
own destiny. Did he know how very rare and precious that privilege was, to be in
control of your own life in this way?

His hair flowed in a midnight swath down to his shoulders, as dark as the
night sky. Selene pulled her lips together, aware that a man, who took after her
Olympian brother Helios, bright and fair, would not have appealed to her at all.
Her brilliance had bathed mother Gaia for far longer than these mortal beings
had been around to enjoy her wonder. This man knew the gift she gave them
nightly and reveled in it.

That alone was enough to have caught her attention. Anything less would not
have even caught her attention for a fleeting moment. Seeing him now, Selene
understood why she had felt so drawn to the mortal realms, had craved when
eons had passed without so much as a flicker of starlight to break her nightly
progress. This mortal warrior could fulfill something within her, could appease a
hunger that until she had seen him, heard his voice, she had been unaware of it.
Maybe it was because they walked side by side rather than her watching from
overhead as she had done since the beginning of time. Maybe it was because he
saw her as a woman and perhaps knew what he saw appealed to him, just as he
appealed to her.

She only knew she planned to find the answers to these quandaries before the
end of the full moon.

Diana Castilleja || Diana DeRicci
Best Selling Author
http://srnwrites.blogspot.com



Hungry Like The Wolf
By: Violet Summers

ISBN # 978-1-59578-503-9
Liquid Silver Books

Claire knew it was her duty to serve her Coven by participating in the local Shifter Pack’s annual Mating Run, but just when she’d resigned herself to that duty the unthinkable happened: she fell in love.

Nigel knew it was his duty to protect Claire and keep her safe from over-eager Wolves until the Run, but over the long weeks of guarding her body the unthinkable happened: he began to want her body for his own.

Caught in a trap of family duty and desire, Nigel and Claire must decide what’s really worth fighting for and all the while they’re Hungry… Like the Wolf.

Read An Excerpt Here.

Warm Winter Nights Celebration I

Join us as we share sizzling excerpts from a choice selection of today's best paranormal authors. Our guests today are: Kate Willoughby, Mechele Armstrong, and Denise Rosetti.

A Wolf at Her Door by Kate Willoughby
Book 2 in the Be-Wished series.

ISBN #9781419918070
Ellora's Cave

A wish bracelet, a hot alpha werewolf and a frisky fairy whose specialty is "happily ever afters" — what does all this have to do with Paige's love life? A whole lot, when gorgeous and sexy shapeshifter Adam shows up to sizzle her synapses, trigger her sensual meltdown and make her secret wish come true.

Adam is one big bad wolf who makes all her kinkiest fantasies a reality. Until real life intrudes and things take a turn for the serious. When Adam's sanity is threatened by an agent of the Universal Wish Federation, he needs more than a well-meaning wish fairy and an unquenchable hunger for Paige to help him make the hardest choice of his life.

By reading any further, you are stating that you are at least 18 years of age.

If you are under the age of 18, please do NOT read further.

Excerpt: A Wolf at Her Door

Copyright © KATE WILLOUGHBY, 2008

“Your place or mine?” The words were out of Paige’s mouth before she could stop them, but Adam gave her a slow smile that made her pulse quicken.

Ten minutes later they were crossing the lobby of Hearthstone Inn, hand in hand, their pace fairly quick. Paige nodded a greeting to Marissa the bubbly proprietor as they passed.

“Complimentary wine and cheese at four, Ms. Mahoney,” Marissa said with a bright smile.

“Oh, I remember, Marissa. Thank you. “

“Will we see you there?”

Adam coughed a comment into his hand, “Fat chance.”

“Pardon me?” Marissa asked.

Scolding him with her eyes, Paige herded Adam toward the stairwell. “Maybe tomorrow,” she called to Marissa over her shoulder.

They arrived at her second-floor room lickety-split. “You’re terrible,” she said as she unlocked the door.

“It’s three-thirty,” he said, following her inside and closing the door behind him. “If we’re done in time to clink glasses with the other guests, then I have no business calling myself a man.”

“But I thought that was the point. You aren’t a man.”

He tossed his coat on a chair. “That’s right. I’m half-man,” he said, walking toward her. “But that also makes me half-animal. Think you can handle it?”

Paige took off her own jacket and glanced at him over her shoulder. “If I can’t, I have no business calling myself a woman.”

Adam smiled and went to work on the buttons of his shirt, and Paige watched, hoping he had a good body. Davina had told her he was a nature photographer. Paige now imagined him hiking, rock climbing, heck, even paragliding to remote locations, and for some reason in all of these scenarios, he was shirtless and sweaty.

Moments later he was shirtless.

Holy crap.

Paige tried not to stare openmouthed. The man had a killer upper body. His arms looked strong enough to bench press the dresser, and contrary to her visions of a Neanderthal pelt, he had only a smattering of hair on his chest and abdomen, tapering to a trail that disappeared under the waistband of his jeans. Yum.

Her heart beat faster as he took her by the shoulders, bent his head and kissed her. His lips were surprisingly soft, yet his kiss wasn’t tentative at all. He took her mouth firmly. One hand clasped the back of her neck, the other splayed over her lower back. Paige had never kissed a man within a half hour of meeting him. Amazed at how natural it felt to be in his embrace, she leaned into him and told herself it was the magic. It had to be the magic.

Adam kissed his way to her ear, sucked the lobe between his lips and nipped it before returning to her mouth again. Paige shuddered as he slid his tongue inside. He was holding her so tightly, she barely touched the floor with her toes. She held onto his shoulders and lost herself in his kiss, breathing rapidly as their tongues slid against each other.

“You smell incredible,” he said, pulling back, setting her more solidly on the floor. “It’s driving me crazy.”

“Sensitive nose?” she asked with an arched brow.

A corner of his mouth lifted. “You could say that.”

She rolled her eyes. “Okay, then, what exactly do you smell?”

“Is this a test?”

“You could say that,” she said, tossing his words back at him.

He chuckled. “All right,” he said, looking around the room. He spotted her suitcase on a folding rack and walked over to it. “Here’s the deal. I’m going to tell you what’s in your suitcase.”

“Just from smelling it?”

“Yes. And for every item I get right, you take off a piece of clothing.”

“And if you’re wrong, you take something off.”

“Sounds fair,” he said.

Resting his elbows on his knees, he crouched in front of her suitcase and sniffed. He looked so damn serious Paige couldn’t help but giggle. When he glowered at her, she quickly schooled her face into a more sober expression.

“Swear to God, Davina owes me big time,” he muttered, taking another big whiff. “All right, smells like something plastic in there. Probably Ziploc bags.”

“Okay, point for you,” she said, toeing off a shoe. “But that could be a lucky guess.”

“You also have some cinnamon toothpaste in there and a bunch of food. Honey-roasted peanuts, Oreos, potato chips, and…some kind of rye cracker.”

Raising her brows, she admitted, “Whoa. That’s not just luck.” Somewhat impressed, she took off her remaining shoe, then her socks.

Adam watched with interest as she slowly shimmied out of her jeans. Thank God she was wearing some halfway decent undies, turquoise French cut. When she looked up from folding her jeans she found him standing next to her. Her heart rate quickened.

“Nice,” he said, tracing his thumbs along the lacy waistband.

Paige felt a pulse of heat between her legs as he slid those thumbs under the elastic to brush against her soft curls. Finally giving in to the impulse she’d had in the cafe, she reached out and touched his impressive erection.

“Very nice,” she whispered, rubbing it.

Adam’s gaze locked onto hers and he covered her hand with his own, pressing it harder against him. He was so hot, so hard, even through the denim. Paige moaned as he slid his hand again into her underwear, delving down between her soft lips to find her sex.

“Damn, Paige, you’re soaked.”

He withdrew his hand and brought his fingers to his nose. Closing his eyes, he inhaled. “Oh, fuck.” He took in another ragged breath through his nose. “I want you naked. Now.”

“But my suitca—”

Ripping the buttons open on his jeans, he said, “You’ve got shoes in there that you wore to the beach.” He shoved his pants and briefs down and kicked them aside. His cock sprang out, curving upward like a scimitar. “There’s some Juicy Fruit gum stuck in the tread and you used grapefruit vanilla lotion on your fucking feet. I win. Now, strip.”

The Sixth Cursed Halloween by Mechele Armstrong

Book 2 in the Be-Wished series.

ISBN #9781596327924

Loose Id

On Halloween night, Brad settles down to repot his Bonsai tree. He's not expecting the tree to talk back.

Surprise! Deidre's cursed inside his bonsai tree.

Brad tries to set her free, but at the end of the night, he loses the ability to hear the woman with the sexy brogue. For the five long years he searches for the saving spell.

On the sixth Halloween, a woman from Brad's life turns Deidre's world upside down. Literally. Now she's getting a choice: a life with Brad without her magic or back to the trees, but she can work her curses and take her revenge. What will she choose this sixth cursed Halloween?

Excerpt: The Sixth Cursed Halloween by Mechele Armstrong

© Mechele Armstrong, October 2008

For a year, Deidre watched Brad pore over books. Saw him study Web sites. She’d never seen him work so hard, even when he’d been in something called “college.”

He was doing it for her. Doing it to break her incarceration in the tree. Doing it for a woman he’d never even seen before. A woman he knew from one night of discussion.

He often touched the pot of the bonsai with loving fingers. He’d always touched it in times of stress. But now it seemed to happen with more regularity. He’d always talked to the bonsai but now he rambled on often to the tree about everything.

Each time he touched her pot or told her something personal about himself, it made her tingly inside.

Yeah, from an upset stomach more than likely.

It couldn’t be anything else. After all, Brad was a man. Not anything more. So she kept reminding herself.

He had something he wanted from her. Something he hoped to gain by freeing her. All she had to was to find it, dangle it in front of him, and she’d use him to get out of the tree for good.

Only in the year that she watched him, she never heard him talk about what she could do for him. Only heard him talk about getting her out of his tree.

He took even more care of the bonsai tree than he had before. Always checked the pH of the soil, did whatever the tree needed, and watered it on a tight schedule.

One night, she’d been brought inside and rested in the living room. He brought her tree into the apartment as often as he dared. Bonsais did best planted in the ground, but that had never been an option for him. The only time she was sure to be kept outside was when he had a woman over.

This time, it had been the middle of the night when she awoke to deep moaning from the other room.

It was Brad.

Was he sick? She twisted around in her pot, trying to send out her feelers as far as they could go, which wasn’t far enough. Suppose he needed her? She was stuck, there but not there. She was a potted plant and could do nothing to help him. Not for the first time, she cursed her situation but this time with more feeling.

He didn’t feel sick to her feelers. Warm, yes, but not sick warm. His skin was flushed and sweat leaked from his pores.

She frowned. What was he doing?

His dick stuck out of his body like an exclamation point. He writhed on the bed.

Was that a seizure?

He whimpered again. And shivered.

While all she could do was watch whatever unfolded in front of her without a way to affect him or whatever was going on

* * * * *

Molten hands ran down his body, setting it afire like lava. She left a hot trail in her hands’ wake. Her mouth descended upon his skin to lave up and down his length. A torrent of wet and warm mouth centered on his rigid shaft.

His hips bucked wildly. He wanted to dive into her depths, which would be so warm. So welcoming. So damned wet. He wanted to spear her. Take her. Make her his.

She giggled at his eagerness. He felt the slight slacking off in her sucking to make the noise.

His hands gripped anything he could hold on to. He’d been waiting for this moment for too long. Needed her in any way possible. His hips continued their thrusting, showing her how much he wanted her.

Her mouth felt incredible on him. So hot. Like he’d known it would be. This would be better than anything he’d ever had before.

Brad let out a deep moan. He’d never been so turned on in his life. So much he wanted to do with his woman. He’d never make it everywhere at once. But it would be so good trying.

She didn’t use teeth but came up and down softly on him. Tantalizing him.

His pelvis thrust against her with a fast, furious pace. She took him in her mouth without protest. Took him down and deep throated him with ease even as he shoved himself farther in. He couldn’t get her close enough around him. He continued to rock against her with abandon.

Blue eyes stared back up at him. Tousled black hair flowed back from her head like a river over a waterfall. Her lips were cherry red as they closed and opened more around his heavy cock.

He’d never seen a lovelier sight.

And still her mouth moved on him, keeping his pace with his frenetic movements, never letting him choke her. Up and down. He let himself get lost in her ministrations. When she suckled him like a lollipop, he cried out again.

The pressure would build then ease as she backed off from him, only to build again with licks and suckles. She teased him with a mastery he’d never experienced before.

He threw his head back in abandon. Needed to release like a geyser. Only for her. His entire body tensed in anticipation. Going to be so good.

The eruption cascaded over him, enveloping him in the sheer pleasure of the moment. “Oh God, Deidre…”

He woke to find he’d creamed his underwear after a vivid dream of a blowjob done by someone he’d only seen in his imagination. Not anything he’d done since he was a much younger man. A teen. Over some actress that he couldn’t even remember now.

“Dammit.” He slid the underwear off and got up to visit his bathroom and clean the rest of himself off. Good thing that…

Dammit. He’d brought the bonsai in last night because of a sudden cold snap. How much had she heard of his dream? Wasn’t exactly like he could ask right now. Not covered in come from a wet dream. About her.

He grabbed a washcloth and patted himself off before grabbing a pair of clean underwear.

Taking a deep breath, he left his bedroom to move into the kitchen and get some water. He didn’t acknowledge the small tree, but went back to bed. He shut his door this time and crawled under his covers.

Drifting off again, he found himself in a relaxed state. His breathing slowed down. His leg jerked a time or two. Sleep would be good. It would restore him so that this emotion didn’t take him over.

The door opened to his room, waking him from dozing off. Who would be there at this hour?

He looked up to see her moving across the floor. There was only one her. Deidre. The woman he’d begun dreaming about. She hardly seemed to walk, so graceful were her movements. It was most like she floated across the room to him.

She was naked.

He got lost in looking at her bared skin. So beautiful. Flared hips and breasts so ripe he could almost taste them. She had a strawberries-and-milk complexion. Nipples as pink as what her pussy must look like. She looked as he’d always dreamed she would.

“Deidre… But you’re trapped. In the tree.” He knew that to be true. Much to his disappointment. If she were real, he’d find a way to screw it up. In the tree, he could at least lust after her.

Her smile set him on fire. So knowing and brutal with its sensuality, the smile captivated him. “Not anymore. I’m here.”

“It’s another dream.” He closed his eyes, blocking out the manifestation of the feeling that he shouldn’t even be having.

“Could a dream do this?”

The Flame and the Shadow by Denise Rossetti
Book 1 in the Four-Sided Pentacle series.

The Flame and the Shadow by Denise Rossetti

ISBN-10: 0441016340
ISBN-13: 978-0441016341
Berkley Ace

There cannot be one...without the other.

Some are drawn to the light. Some are drawn to the dark. Some desire both.

Grayson of Concordia, known on countless worlds as the Duke of Ombra, is a mercenary, a sorcerer of shadows - a man whose soul is consumed by darkness. For Gray, the bleak savagery in his heart is manifest in an entity he calls Shad. He has long resisted Shad's enticements, but when he is hired to kidnap a fire witch, he seizes the chance to restore his soul - no matter the cost.

Cenda's heart is ash. Since the death of her precious baby daughter, life has lost all meaning for the fire witch. Slowly, she has worked to master her powers and go on living. But when she encounters Gray, her will is no match for her desire, though her love may not survive the terrible discovery of Gray's plans.

Excerpt

Moonlight on DVD!

OMG! I was totally thrilled when I saw at BN.com that Moonlight - The Complete Series would be released on DVD tomorrow. *happy Snoopy dance* Australian actor Alex O'Laughlin is totally HAWT! And he makes one hell of a sexy vampire. He can come and bite my neck (or any other part of my body) any time! *purrs*

You know, it's a pity that the CBS network didn't renew the series contract after it won a People's Choice Award; and no other network picked it up although the fans did such a remarkable campaign to keep it on air. IMHO, I blame the writers for it. As I watched the series, I noticed that they didn't have any idea what to do with it to begin with. Except for the vaguest idea that L.A. private eye Mick St. John was a vampire, dwelling in a covert underworld. So instead of mapping out the main conflict to be built through the episodes (and seasons) and then the specific conflicts of each episode, they started throwing ideas as each episode was filmed. (A lesson every author interested in writing a series should learn.)

Oh well... at least after so many rumors, the "big honchos" decided to release it on DVD. I'm going to be at our local Borders early in the morning to buy this one - 16 delicious episodes in 4 DVDs. You can all bet tomorrow night I'll be siting in front of my TV watching that verra sexy L.A. private eye Mick St. John.

Weekend Flirt: Sex and Sexualtiy Feng Shui Tips

Feng Shui Tips for Sex and Sexual Energy in the Bedroom: More Sex with Feng Shui
Sex and Sexualtiy Feng Shui Tips
By Rodika Tchi

I recently received an e-mail with a question about feng shui for more sex. The man stated he has difficulties in attracting females into his life for sexual pleasure and hopes specific feng shui cures will help.

This is an interesting feng shui topic to write about, I thought. We usually focus on feng shui for love , or feng shui for family harmony. However, many of us also go through periods of exploring sex and sexuality in a more open context, or one that does not involve a committed relationship.

Sex is healing, beautiful and very powerful. Many ancient cultures knew the mysteries and secret healing powers of sexual energy, and we have yet to learn to respect, understand and be comfortable with the power of our sexuality.

Having said that, here are some feng shui tips to help you attract stronger sexual energy into your life - feng shui tips for sex - as well as to attract a sexual partner to practice with. If you fall in love, do not blame feng shui for it!

* Create your own feng shui sex cure by clearly expressing your intent in a visual format. This can be an art piece, a photo, or a small sculpture. From a feng shui cure such as a photo of modern lovers to a small golden sculpture of Shiva & Shakti in sexual union - only you know what you emotionally respond to. Place your feng shui sex cure in the Northwest area of your home or your bedroom.


* Create a private space that will be supportive of the exchange of sexual energy. Your bedroom should have good feng shui sexual Chi enhancers, such as warm colors, soft furnishings and a comfortable bed. Clean air with a sweet fragrance of essential oils such as ylang-ylang, sandalwood, neroli or jasmine will increase the sexual drive, as will candlelight and sensual music. Display explicit sexual art to set the desired feng shui for sex energy.


* Create a good flow of sensual Chi in your bathroom. The feng shui energies of the bathroom and the bedroom are intricately connected in promoting a strong flow of sexual energy.


* Check your whole space for the flow of sexual energy. The feng shui check-up here will be close to the one you will do when checking your space for the feng shui flow of love. The focus, though, will be on sexual activity versus a committed partnership.


* Increase your personal energy and sexual charisma. Find out your feng shui birth element and your kua number and have your bed facing one of your best direction. Focus on living and working in places with good energy, on exercising, eating the right foods, etc.


* Be clear with your partner about the intent to enjoy sexual pleasure without being romantically involved. This will set the right feng shui energy for your exploration. It will also attract the energy of pleasure versus hurtful emotions or misunderstandings.

Ultimately, sex is a powerful yin-yang energy exchange, thus you need to be mindful of the quality of your own energy and the energy of people you want to attract. In the world of feng shui energy, like attracts like, so be what you want to attract.

Weekend Flirt: More on the Feng Shui Love and Romance Theme

More on the Feng Shui Love and Romance Theme
by Stephanie Roberts

The first step in using feng shui to attract a partner or improve your love life is to find the relationship power spots in your home. Once you have located these areas, feng shui cures and enhancements can activate these areas and increase your love luck.

The feng shui "ba gua" is an energy map that divides any space into eight ("ba") sections ("guas"), each of which affects a specific aspect of life. Love and marriage are governed by "Kun" gua. Your relationship power spots are the Kun guas of your home, bedroom, and other main rooms. In traditional Chinese feng shui, Kun gua is the southwest (SW) sector of the home. Secondary Kun guas are the SW sector of each room within the home.

Contemporary Western feng shui defines the ba gua in relationship to the entry. Using this method, Kun gua is the area of the home or room that is farthest to the back on the right-hand side, when you stand in the doorway facing into the space. (Always use the formal front entry to the home when you are using this method, even if you go in and out through a side or back door most of the time.)

One reason many people find feng shui confusing is that they don't know which to method to follow. With so many places within the home that might be called Kun gua, where do you place your feng shui objects? Follow these steps to find the best relationship "power spots" in your home by combining and comparing these two methods.

1. Using a compass, find the room or rooms that are located in the SW sector of your home. (If you have a floor plan that indicates North, you can use that to figure out which direction is SW.) If you have no way of confirming SW accurately, just use the doorway method.

[You can also go by the setting sun, which will be in a more or less westerly direction (Less in more northern altitudes and less in the winter.) Face the setting sun and extend your right arm to the side. That's roughly north. Your left arm will point south, so southwest is roughly between your left and the setting sun. -Ed]

2. Stand in your front entry, facing into the home.

3. What room or rooms are in the back of the house on the right-hand side?

4. Compare the rooms you identified using these two methods. Stairways, narrow hallways, closets, bathrooms, and bedrooms occupied by anyone other than yourself should be crossed off your list. If you identified the living room, dining room, kitchen, or any other comfortable, pleasant space, keep those rooms on your list.

5. Your personal bedroom will always be a good place for romance feng shui. Put it on your list, even if it is not in the SW or right-rear area of the home. If your bedroom is in the SW or the rear right area of the home, it is a very strong relationship power spot for you.

6. Find the relationship areas within you bedroom. First, use your compass to locate the SW area of the room. Then stand in the doorway facing into the room and locate the far corner on your right-hand side. If these two areas overlap, you have identified a very powerful relationship power spot for feng shui enhancement.

7. If these two areas in your bedroom (SW and far-right corner) are not the same, compare them. Which is brighter, cleaner, less cluttered, more attractive? Which has potential for adding feng shui enhancements: a section of wall where you could hang a poster, photograph, or framed piece of artwork; the top of a dresser or bedside table, a fireplace mantel, or a bookcase where you could clear a little space on a shelf for a romantic figurine or other object.

8. Now, find the relationship areas within any other rooms on your "approved" list. First, using the compass, locate the SW area of the room. Then stand in the doorway, facing into the room, and locate the far corner on your right-hand side.

9. Again, compare your options, and look for clean, uncluttered, well-lit, attractive places where you could place feng shui objects or romantic artwork or imagery.

10. If by the end of this process you have more than three good options available to you, continue to prioritize your list. The most desirable "power spots" will be:
1. in your bedroom
2. places that you see most often as you go through your normal daily activities

These are now your priority power spots for love and marriage. Some easy ways to enhance these areas are with:

* imagery or artwork representing lovers
* two pink or red candles set side-by-side
* a red, pink, or white heart-shaped box
* two round or heart-whaped red or pink pillows
* two red silk roses in a pretty vase
* fresh flowers with red or pink blossoms
* a pink faceted feng shui crystal, hung over your bed or in a power spot
* imagery or artwork of pairs of mandarin ducks, doves, or swans
* the Chinese symbol for "double happiness"
* any image or object that represents love, marriage, or romance in a way that has strong personal meaning for you

There is much more to feng shui than activating power spots, but these simple steps will get you off to a good start.

The feng shui imagery and objects that you place in your power spots help to shift the energy of your home, and are visual reminders of your intention to find happiness with a romantic partner who will be everything that you have dreamed.

Tarot Talk

In this new monthly feature, we'll be 'talking' about the tarot. Information about cool new decks we've discovered as well as old favorites, and each month featuring a different card from the tarot. Posted by various paranormal and urban fantasy authors who appreciate the beauty and magick of the tarot, we hope you'll enjoy this new featured column.


I've been reading tarot cards since I was a pre-teen and having my tarot read for me not long after.

I've had many decks over the years, but the one I find myself drawn to is the Mermaids & Dolphins Deck by Gillian Kemp that I received for Yule a couple of years ago from a very good friend.

Both the imagery and the words hold special meaning and resonate with me in a way that no other deck ever has.

As I shuffle the deck, I think about the power of the sea. Of the waves crashing along a rocky shoreline. Of whalesong and of dolphins. And of the mystical and magickal nature of water. I can almost see her, the mermaid flipping her jewel bright tail, a quick flash above the waves and then gone.

Her laughter echoing in a conch shell. I breathe in the fresh, salty air, and taste sea mist on my tongue.

I ask aloud for the cards to reveal to me what I want to know. It is then that I begin to lay out the cards in a tarot spread.

But for today, I will share with you a favorite card in the Mermaid deck.


The Mermaid's Rock

When two people in their hearts are one, they shatter the strength of stone.

Keyword: Union

Your prayer will be answered. You will strike upon what is eternally right for you and receive the finished stone you wish for.

The Mermaid’s Rock predicts your latent abilities – education and a variety of refining will bring to life in you the holy and mysterious that creates solidity and cohesion.

It represents an extension of the divine that is unchanging, solid, and eternal. Winning depends upon the inherent strength and unshifting foundation of your faith. The Mermaid’s Rock signifies the lofty seats of the souls of departed ancestors who, as part of you, bring blessings and help. The link of love is eternal unless your heart has been turned to stone.

The connection to our ancestors runs true in my family. When I need help with a problem or when I have a question, I know my family is there for me. I feel the weight of their love like a warm and cozy cape about my shoulders. This is true of the living and also of those who have come before and long since passed into shadow.

I sat as a little girl, listening to my mum tell of my maternal ancestors, of their wisdom and courage. I learned of our family folklore and legends. And I dreamed of what it must have been like back then. To feel that connection with the land, to grow in wisdom, and to enjoy the fruits of that bounty with those they loved.

When I think of them, I feel my chin raise, my shoulders square, and my resolve strengthen. I am theirs and they are mine and together we are united throughout time.

I know that when this card shows up in a spread, it is my cue to listen and think on what my ancestors might do in the same situation, and pay heed to the wisdom they share.

I studied each card in the Mermaids and Dolphins deck and love the ethereal and whimsical artwork. Although the mermaid princess heroine in my book, Song of The Sea was already firmly fixed in my mind, as well as in the final manuscript, when my line edits came back, I noticed how much the card's artwork resembled the Vivilyn I had envisioned as I wrote the story. Her family and her responsibility also play a key role in the plot, as she helps her uncle by acting as his spy within the formiddable Formorian leader's mansion and stronghold.

If the sea holds the same wonder and fascination for you that it does for me, I think you'll like this tarot deck and perhaps feel that touch of magick in your hands.

~ )•( ~

About the author:
Cassandra Curtis writes paranormal erotic and sensual romance. Her bestselling Shifting Tides trilogy of ebooks feature selkies, mermaids, and other aquatic shapeshifters. The third and final installment in the trilogy, Soul of The Sea, will be released this year from Amber Heat, the erotic romance imprint of Amber Quill Press. For more information about Ms. Curtis and her books, visit her website at www.cassandracurtis.com

~•~

Contest!

To kick off our newest column here at the Midnight Moon Café, we are giving away a tarot deck, The Medieval Cat Tarot by Lawrence Teng. Based on the Rider-Waite deck, the glory of felines is celebrated with Renaissance flair! Teng has created an ornate deck that blends classical and contemporary ideologies and artistic styles. With booklet text by Gina M. Pace, Medieval Cat Tarot is a beautifully aristocratic deck with a humorous twist. 78 Card Full color deck. Includes booklet of instructions.

Leave a comment on this post and you'll automatically be entered into the drawing for the deck.

Contest ends January 31, 2009 and the winner will be announced next month on our website (www.midnightmooncafe.com) and at our Yahoo Group. Good Luck!

Thursday Thirteen

13 "Men Are Like..."

1. Men are like..... Coffee.
The best ones are rich, warm, full-bodied, and can keep you up all night long.

2. Men are like..... Commercials.
You can't believe a word they say.

3. Men are like..... Computers.
Hard to figure out and never have enough memory.

4. Men are like..... Copiers.
You need them for reproduction, but that's about it.

5. Men are like..... Bananas.
The older they get, the less firm they are.

6. Men are like..... Snowstorms.
You never know when he's coming, how many inches you'll get or how long he will last.

7. Men are like..... Used Cars.
Both are easy-to-get, cheap, and unreliable.

8. Men are like..... Vacations.
They never seem to be long enough.

9. Men are like..... Horoscopes.
They always tell you what to do and are usually wrong.

10. Men are like..... Cement.
After getting laid, they take a long time to get hard.

11. Men are like..... Chocolate Bars.
Sweet, smooth, and they usually head right for your hips.

12. Men are like..... Mascara.
They usually run at the first sign of emotion.

13. Men are like..... Mini skirts.
If you're not careful, they'll creep up your legs.

If you have read a funny "Men Are Like...", then post it here in comments!

Hump Day Hunk

"I like big butts and I can't deny..." Looking at that pic, reminds me of Sir Mix-A-Lot song. Hahaha!

Guest blogger: Jessica Andersen, author of Dawnkeepers

Hi! Jessica Andersen here, author of the Novels of the Final Prophecy. Thanks for joining me today!

***

Here’s a quick blurb on the series, and particularly Dawnkeepers, which came out just last week to rave reviews (yay!):

The final four-year countdown to the end of days has begun. According to ancient Maya prophecy, demons from the underworld will arise on December 21, 2012. Only the Nightkeepers, mortal descendants of an ancient race of magic-wielding warrior-priests, can prevent the apocalypse by stopping the demons from bringing the old legends to life.

Unlike his fellow Nightkeepers, Nate Blackhawk isn’t about to let the gods determine his destiny- especially when it comes to his feelings for Alexis Gray, his ex-lover and nemesis. But when they’re forced to work together, racing to recover seven antiquities before the demons get their claws on the vital artifacts, Nate and Alexis will have to face their feelings- and their past- in order to defeat a dire and ancient enemy.

***

One of the questions I’m frequently asked about these books is what sort of process goes into writing them. First off, they’re very organic, in that the characters and storylines have come to life inside my head, meaning that I don’t have nearly as much control over them as I would like to.

Because the books are interconnected, in that each is a stand-alone with a complete romance, but they add to each other within the larger save-the-world story arc, I plan and outline prior to writing. For each book, I know where each person and storyline starts out (based on the end of the prior book) and approximately where each should end up (to join up with what I perceive as being the arc of the next book). In addition, I’ve got some major scenes already churning inside my head.

However, when I’m actually writing the story, I often find myself getting to a point where I think one thing is going to happen, only to have the characters do something completely unexpected. I’m a huge fan of being surprised in books/movies/TV shows, and I’d like to give readers the same experience. Lucky for me, the Nightkeepers seem to be on board with that idea!

So, I’m curious. . . what are some of your favorite mid-story surprises, whether in books, movies or TV. When have you expected one thing to happen, only to have something completely different happen, making the experience of that book/movie/show so much more than it would have been if it’d been predictable??

FMI on the Novels of the Final Prophecy, please check out www.JessicaAndersen.com, or pick up a copy of Nightkeepers and Dawnkeepers in a store near you!

Tatooed Hunks

I remember the first time I saw a tatooed hero on the cover of a romance book. It wasn't a paranormal nor was it urban fantasy, but a pirate adventure historical published back in the late 80's/early 90's.

Just the very edge of the tat could be seen on his chest, but my eyes were drawn to that cover art again and again. Tats were the symbol of bad boys everywhere, much the same as a guy having a pierced left ear. Of course, that was back then.

Now, every guy you see under thirty-five seems has a tat and piercings (some are in rather interesting places! ::fans self:: . Women too. Tatoos have become so common place that I'll admit, some of the allure of the forbidden has been lost. Yet, I still find myself checking out guys with interesting tats.

Question for readers: Do you prefer your heroes with tats? Is there such a thing as too many tats on your studly heroes?

Weekend Flirt: Feng Shui for the bedroom

Feng Shui for the bedroom
11 Ways To Improve Romance

Written By Michael Hanna

You probably know by now my views on books written on Feng Shui, some good but most are bad or inaccurate. Many books will recommend Mandarin ducks or a Dragon headed Tortoise for love or romance but which is correct? There is so much misinformation out there and this can cause problems for many people who are trying to get results whether for the bedroom, wealth, romance, or health. I have detailed below the facts without question, they will probably go against everything you have read or been taught but here goes. All the below applies to houses or apartments.

1: Fresh cut and dried flowers; actually this applies to any part of the home or office. This has always been a big no with nearly every book I have seen or been told about. Fresh cut flowers are beautiful and I love having all round the home (make sure water is kept clean and fresh), they are a very neutral energy and do no harm, the benefits are amazing though they can brighten any room and fill it with a scent that can transform any room for the better.

They are also a good test on how good the energy is your room, two weeks ago today it was our 23rd wedding anniversary and Michael had delivered a glorious bouquet of flowers, they actually look as good today as they did two weeks ago, this is because the energy in this room (dining room) is very good, don't get me wrong I am not pretending that our whole house is perfect, far from it, every house will have good and bad areas, the secret is to find out where these good and bad areas are and use the better ones and avoid the bad ones.

Back to flowers, well actually dried flowers, this one always makes me laugh, with the exception of a few books every one will tell you DO NOT have dried flowers in your home or office, no exceptions, no dried flowers, pot pourri or anything that was once a living entity in a garden. Not in my opinion, think about what about what I have just said.

'Nothing that was living', so what about all your wooden furniture, doors, floorboards, kitchen cupboards, window frames, doorframes, wooden ornaments etc. etc. etc. I think you know what I am going to say next, how can dried flowers or fresh cut flowers be so bad when any item that is made of wood is exactly the same element, a table is dead wood the same as dried flowers, the wooden floorboards are identical to a dried flower arrangement in a redundant fireplace, long and short is dried flowers and fresh cut flowers are perfectly OK to have in a room as long as you are not allergic to them. If you do use them make sure they are kept clean and dust free. Please remember that this is only my view, there is nothing in the ancient Feng Shui books to say dried flowers are bad or good so a debate either way for or against them would never be settled. Not forgetting silk or cloth flowers, these are excellent to have in any part of the home.

2: Bed placements, if you check last month's newsletter or visit this link 8mansions you will find information on which directions to sleep in depending on which aspect o your life you want to enhance, i.e. Sheng Chi for prosperity, Tien Yi for health, Nien Yien for relationship and Fu Wei for harmony. The most important thing to remember when sleeping is the crown (top) of your head must face the direction; many people get confused and point their feet in this direction, which would have their head facing their worst direction.

Many of you have the software we sell that calculates amongst many other things your good and bad directions. Another important consideration with bedroom arrangement is make sure you have your head supported by a solid wall directly behind you, if your best direction is south, do not have your bed at an angle in the room with your head behind a corner of wall or cupboard, this may seem like basic stuff but believe me we have visited many homes with the bed at all angles, it is great if you sleep in your best direction, however this is not always possible and do not worry about it, an example is Michael and I, we are opposite groups, I sleep in my best direction and he sleeps in his worst, unless we top and tail or sleep in different beds we will never achieve a good balance, as long as I sleep in my best direction that is all that matters, only kidding. Actually the most important thing is make sure you follow the annual and monthly flying stars this is far more important than directions you sleep.

3: En-suite bathroom, a real taboo in most books, we have been to homes that have the most magnificent en-suite bathrooms and the occupants do not even use it because of what they have read or been told, remember two thousand years ago homes did not have bathrooms or toilets inside the home, so why now is it bad Feng Shui? The only thing you have to remember is all bathrooms should have the door closed at all times and it is kept clean, other than that do not worry if your head is facing the bathroom wall, your luck will not be affected at all.

4: Try not to sleep with a beam or overhead cupboards over your head, if you have these you can place a piece of cloth under the beam so it takes away the negative effect or hang a crystal faceted sphere or a pair of bamboo flutes, I prefer the cloth as it is more effective and you can make it look nice with a piece of muslin cloth or similar.

5: Mirrors, now this is another misunderstood topic as again many homes we visit have all the mirrors covered in the bedroom. It is only a problem if the mirror faces your bed and you can see your face and upper body in the reflection. If the mirror looks sideways onto your bed it is not a problem, why are mirrors in bedrooms considered bad? Two schools of thought, the first belief is when you sleep at night your soul is supposed to leave your body and when it leaves the first thing it sees is a reflection of itself and gets startled and this is what causes nightmares and a restless sleep. The second is when you sleep your body recharges itself with fresh Ch'i and the negative Ch'i leaves your body, if there is a mirror facing you the negative Ch'i cannot leave you. This does not just apply to mirrors, anything reflective like a photo, painting, computer screen or metal surface. If you cannot move the mirror place a cloth over it when you sleep.

6: Do not sleep with your feet facing towards a door, this is known as the 'coffin position' and speaks for itself.

7: Do not sleep with doors (entrance not wardrobe doors) on either side of a bed; this is pretty rare, as we do not see many homes with more than one entrance door in a bedroom.

8: Should you have water in a bedroom? A hard question to answer because if a bedroom using the flying star method is conducive to water then you can use it but generally I would say no unless you had a professional consultation and advised otherwise. Do not worry about taking a glass of water to bed with you though, this is Yin water and has no effect.

9: Which colours should you use in a bedroom? Again I am going to go against all the books and give you the facts, a bedroom apart from the obvious is generally used for sleeping and because of this it is considered Yin (quiet) energy, most books will tell you to paint bright red (yang) or bright pinks to activate your relationships, again if you have had a consultation red may be a good colour to use as the Practitioner will know all your elements in that particular area but generally you use yin colours such as pastel shades and nothing too bright or loud, the same applies to bed covers and furniture.

10: Clearing your clutter is very important in the bedroom, wardrobes, under beds and behind doors get very stale and need to be cleared often to ensure good energy. Many book tell you not to have a bed with draws under, this is not always practical, and as long as you keep soft items like bedclothes, clothes or towels they are OK. Do not keep anything negative in the bedroom at all; if you have papers regarding a divorce or other legal problem either think about throwing them out (take legal advice) or storing in the loft or garage, this also applies to ornaments, paintings, photos or any gift that has been given to you by someone who you have negative feelings for.

11: Cures and enhancers to use in your bedroom. I have seen websites that sell pebbles to place under your pillow, red heart shaped pillows to a list of mantras to recite each night, all of which will enhance your romance. Here is a list of effective cures and enhancers and not gimmicky ones.

If you are looking to conceive, sleep with your head pointing towards your Nien Yien direction. If you do not know your Nien Yien direction look on our website or buy the software that calculates it for you software you should also face your oven door towards Nien Yien. For the Xuan Kong experts there is more information in our professional series below.

Always use pairs in a bedroom, if you want to attract a new partner have two pillows side by side, a pair of Mandarin ducks, if you have a painting on the wall make sure it has two people in the picture, candle sticks should always be in pairs, the only time you should use a single item in the bedroom is if you use a Dragon headed Tortoise but make sure you have a piece of red ribbon in its mouth.

Where should you place your cures? Depending on which school you follow. As you know we only ever use traditional Feng Shui and follow Xuan Kong flying star, which gives powerful results. The standard and most talked about way is to place items like mandarin ducks or a Dragon headed Tortoise in the south-west of the bedroom or home, so if you wanted to attract new love activate the SW with romantic items like this. It is not something that I would do as the below formula is much more powerful and gets results.

If you want to use a more powerful cure or enhancer use the flying star method, this year (especially this month) you would place a small water feature or a picture of water along with something coloured blue in the east of the home, this can also be the east of your bedroom (avoid water in bedroom unless you have been consulted) or the east of your entire home or both. This would activate the #4 wood star. You would also place another pair of ducks and Dragon headed Tortoise in the east of your bedroom.

To recap and clear any misunderstandings, you would stand in the middle of your home facing the front of house with a compass in hand and find the east, you would then go into your bedroom stand in the centre again facing the same direction (front) and find east of the bedroom and then place the cures.

You can also apply this rule to any flying star in the home or room, so if you wanted to activate the #8 wealth star for 2003 which is located in the west, you would place a three legged Toad, crystal sphere or a fire object or colour or anything to do with finances in the west of your home and west of your office or area that you work from. For full details of where the stars are this year visit this link flyingstars or if you want to activate a monthly star read Sallie's Xuan Kong below.