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Breast Cancer and Other News Update

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It’s been a while. I feel like it’s been an eternity. It’s been months at least. And that’s because cancer treatments kick your ass.

No, really.

I’m not sure if you’re aware of it, but it the treatments that’ll kill ya. Seriously, the business of fighting for your life against a vicious disease is a hard battle. And I am fatigued. But I am coming out of the fog.

My hair is the shortest it’s been since I decided I wanted to be a buddhist monk at 3 or 4 and had my mom shave my head. I tried to keep it, y’all. And if my chemo had not been the worst, most dangerous and strongest chemo around- they call it the red devil, if that tells you anything- I would’ve kept most of it. As it was, I kept about 25%. It just simply looked too terrible not to shave off into a boy cut and go all Audrey Hepburn.

Cold capping works. It just doesn’t work very well if you do the chemo I did. And then if you have a semi-formal event- like a college graduation that you can’t miss because it’s your oldest child and you wouldn’t miss that shit even if you were bald on the head and hairy on the leg- that you must attend without a baseball cap. So you go and get a nice short do. And proudly wear that shit to your son’s graduation. Proud and loud, bitches. I beat cancer.

I did. For right now. Cancer always comes back. They don’t talk about that. But it comes back. What you want is for it to not come back for a really long time, like 15 years or more. But my body scans tell the docs I have no other cancer hot spots. And the chemo plus radiation treatment plan kills rogue cells which have broken off and might be roaming free.

It’s been 5 weeks post radiation. The black skin is all gone off my chest. And almost all gone off my back. Soon, I will be back to my old self. Well, without one boob. And with a wicked fucking abdomen scar. But with my life. And my brain in tact. Not that my noggin has been much help lately. Chemo brain is REAL, yo. But slowly, I am coming back.

I attended a Master Class with Alexandra Sokoloff this past weekend. It was awesome. Got my creative brain and juices flowing. And I wrote the most words I’ve written since I started this whole cancer saga.

Anyway, here’s my new do. Hopefully, my hair grows quickly. And I am so glad this whole no hair thing happened now. If this had happened back when I was younger, I think I would’ve been completely devastated. As it is now, short hair is just another thing. I’m alive. And that is all that matters.

And here’s hoping I have many more words this week. And I want to do an update on my erotic gothic thriller story. I’ve got some ideas.

Now. I need to go write. And take supplements to try and get these strands GROWING!

Romance on the Rocks

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Martinis and Romance, Romance and Martinis. Which came first? And does it even really matter?

I don’t think so.

But what is coming first, middle and last, is Romance on the Rocks. It’s a new blog, yo. With some really great writers of all the things that are sexy and fabulous.

And the theme? You guessed it. Our favorite cocktails! Mine of course is the dirty martini. I love the olive juice as it cuts against the clear liquid. In the beginning, I began with vodka. Because it’s clear and tasteless. But I have since learned to love the gin. But… it has to be a softer gin. Like Boodles or Plymouth. Regardless, I am digging on regular martinis in addition to my dirty ones. Every once in a while, I still bust out the olive juice. But now, I use olives stuffed with blue cheese. I’ve heard of these being called dirty executives. I likey. So Dirty Executive, it is. Regardless of which martini drink you might favor, they are all delish.

Now, crack open a bottle and grab a man or a book and drink, people. Alcohol is the lube of life. And when it comes to Romance, alcohol makes everything go down far more smoothly.

Here’s the link to the fabulous new blog. Romance on the Rocks

Spring Fling Blog Hop Winners!

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Yay! We have a winner. Ray is the lucky winner of my giveaway. Be sure to check out all the other blogs to find out if you won any of those or maybe even the Grand Prize. And because it’s Spring and I’m a little crazy, I picked another lucky winner as well. Just because. Anne is also going to win an ebook as well.

Please contact me at my email and let me know the format you want.

Thank you all for participating and making this a fun hop!

~D

ETA: Just got the Grand Prize winners from Jane.

Kindle Fire— Sally Fryman Wagoner
$75 Amazon Gift Card— Eva
$25 Starbucks Gift Card— Eva Millien
$25 Blushing Books Gift Card— Kathy Osborn
$25 Loose Id Gift Card— Jessica Subject

Spring Fling Blog Hop

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Today’s the first day of Spring. The Vernal Equinox for those of you wanting to use more astrological terms. lol It is the day the North American continent begins to tilt in a way as to bring the sun closer to that portion of the surface of our planet.Sepia Shot of a Young Kissing Couple.

Like little flower, the sun after the long cold season makes me turn my face up towards it. I dunno why  but Spring makes me think of going slightly crazy, a little punch drunk, a bit bonkers. Which shouldn’t be a surprise after being cooped up for the dark, cold months of winter.

Flowers make me think of the birds and the bees. Well, mostly bees. But if you get as far as the bees, you can’t help but think of the birds as well. So it shouldn’t surprise anyone when I say Spring makes think of love, romance and sex. Okay, lots of things–including Spring–makes me think of love, romance and sex.  I write the stuff for shitsake. 😀

In honor of Spring, I’m doing this fling to celebrate. So much to be happy for, but the one right now is that winter is gonna finally be over AND because I had two books release last month. Hat Trick is one of them and is the ebook on giveaway for this hop. It was serendipity to have an ebook about weddings and babies and best men and maids of honor come out just in time for Spring, but there you have it.

Leave me a comment and let me know why you love Spring, or just tell me anything at all for a chance to win my prize. And then go to the other blog hop participants for more cool things to win on their blogs and increase your chances for the grand prizes. The Rafflecopter link is below, and the main blog hop can be found here or by clicking on the Spring Fling Blog Hop button up above. When the Hop is over, check back at all the places to see what awesome swag you’ve won.

The blurb for Hat Trick is below. and you can find a snippet here.

Blurb:

Silas is a professional soccer player and Best Man at his best friend’s wedding. Emma is in upper management and Maid of Honor at her best friend’s wedding. When the Silas and Emma wake up the next morning in bed together, the worst thing they thought the night before had given them was a hangover.

Now the Maid of Honor is showing up to the wedding pregnant with the Best Man’s baby. On the way to their own happy ending, Emma and Silas have to overcome their dislike of each other and the situation. If that isn’t enough, the past always has a way of coming back to haunt the present making it anyone’s guess if Emma and Silas will play to advantage or commit a foul.

GRAND PRIZES:

*Special THANKS goes out to Blushing Books and authors Sue Lyndon, Patty Devlin and Cara Bristol for their contributions to the Grand Prizes!! 🙂

1 Kindle Fire (Donated by Blushing Books)
1 $75 Amazon (or B&N) Gift Card
1 $25 Starbucks Gift Card (Donated by Sue)
1 $25 Blushing Books Gift Card (Donated by Patty)
1 $25 Loose Id Gift Card (Donated by Cara)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

One Year Blog Anniversary

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Today’s the one year anniversary of my blog. March is also the month I finished my first full length novel. Yes, that’s right. March of last year was when I finished my first full length novel. It amazes me that it happened at all. Still. Today.

This isn’t going to be a long post. Just a little something to commemorate today. So this is my jumping up and down for joy… in writing. 🙂

Hopefully, next year– I will be able to write another little post of goodness.

 

Happy Valentine’s Day 2014

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It’s the day of love– for love and lovers.

To that end, I found a compilation of 80s love songs. Yeah, I know it probably dates me… but no one did or does love songs like those songster of yesteryear. So listen to the music as you finish out the post and let the notes carry you to a far, far better place. 😉 Journey, Foreigner and more.

Enjoy!

Nothing says Valentine’s Day like candy and flowers. Bet you didn’t know you could combine those two things. I’ve put a recipe for candied roses down below. But don’t limit yourself to roses. There are lots of edible flowers and a veritable rainbow can be had depending on which bloom you choose.

Sugared Rose Petals and Rose Sugar

Roses first came to the West from Persia in 1240 by way of French Crusaders. The first known cultivated rose is Rosa gallica var. officinalis, also known as the apothecary rose. I use the petals for various things: potpourri, bath fizzies, bath salts, rose water, and cooking. The petals are lovely in salads, but what I really like to do is candy them and make rose sugar.

Sugared Rose Petal Ingredients and Supplies

-pasteurized egg white beaten with a little water (if you’re concerned about using raw eggs, -you can use simple syrup or prepared meringue powder)
-Granulated sugar
-Fragrant rose petals, well rinsed and patted dry
-A small watercolor brush

Rose Sugar Ingredients and Supplies

-Fragrant organic rose petals, well rinsed and patted dry
-Sugar
-A clean, pretty jar, such as a Ball Kilner rubber-sealed jar

 

To Make Sugared Rose Petals

1. Make sure your rose petals are organic (pesticide free). Remove the bottom white tip of each rose petal and discard; the tips have a bitter flavor. Assemble your supplies.
2. Paint both sides of each rose petal with the egg wash, simple syrup, or prepared meringue powder.
3. Sprinkle the prepared petals in sugar on both sides
4. Set on a piece of parchment paper or wax paper and let dry overnight. If you use simple syrup, the petals won’t hold their shape as well as they do with the egg wash
5. Use your candied petals as edible decorations for cakes, puddings, candies, cookies, and pastries. If you don’t plan to use them right away, store sugared petals in a freezer.

 

To Make Rose Sugar

1. Make sure your rose petals are organic (pesticide free). Remove the bottom white tip of each rose petal and discard. Sprinkle sugar on the bottom of the jar and sprinkle a layer of rose petals over it. Layer more sugar and rose petals until the jar is filled. Store in a cool, dark place (such as your pantry or cupboard or “close roome”) for several weeks. When you open up the jar you’ll be met with a rosy perfume. You can remove the petals before using.
2. Use your Rose Sugar to flavor pastries, cookies, and confections or sprinkled over their tops. Stir the rose-infused sugar into tea, lemonade, or anything you’d like to give a slight rosy flavor. It’s particularly nice sprinkled on top of scones and shortbread.

***

As you listen to love songs and eat delicious things, remember… today is about love. And love is about giving to others. So don’t forget to spread and share the love. Not just today, but everyday.

Happy New Year 2014

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Another year. The ending of one and the beginning of the next.

Looking back… it’s been a good year. For my writing. For my personal life. 2013 is the year I decided to stop thinking about being a published writer and instead took steps to make that happen.

After my mom died, I realized that there’s no time like now. Sometimes, there are no tomorrows. Instead, today is the day. So I took a deep breath and took the leap. My second career dream was realized this past year. I’ve been lucky that way. My first career choice was awesome. Fabulous, really. It was just time to do something else. Writing was that something else.

Looking forward, I still have some milestones I want to reach. There are several goals that I hope to meet in the coming year. As spectacular as 2013 had been, I have a feeling that 2014 is going to be even better. At least, it will be for me.

My hope is that it will be a great year for all of you as well. Don’t let anything stop you from being and doing and becoming. You got 12 months in the next year. Start small and end LARGE.

Happy New Year, y’all! 🙂

Hot Autumn Nights Blog Hop Winner

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We have a winner, or three. 🙂

Drum roll, please… the winners are: Carolyn and BookAttict. But because it’s the Christmas season, I picked a third. Well, random.org did. lol My third winner is jennifer mathis. If you’re a winner and didn’t indicate your email address or book title and format preference, please email me or use the contact me page with the contact form, and let me know which ebook you would like, which format you prefer and an email address to which I may send the aforementioned prize.

To help that decision along, I’m linking to both the Holiday Spice anthology with my story Homecoming, and to the FarSeen. Just click on the pictures below and it will take to the parent pages. If you click through on the FarSeen cover on the OtherKind page, it will take you to the FarSeen main page complete with reviews, blurb and excerpt. Once you’ve read the tidbits available for the two offered prizes, that’s when an email to me should be happening or about to happen.

FarSeen

Click for more

holidayspice_small

Click for more

As soon as I know which book you want, I will either send a link or the book directly to you. I would really appreciate it if you’d leave a review on Amazon or goodreads or somewhere, but it’s NOT necessary. Mostly, I want you to enjoy my stories. 🙂

Also, if you didn’t win, but feel you must have my book(s), I would totally be happy and willing to exchange a copy for a review. Shoot me a note using the contact methods listed above for the winners if a review in exchange for a copy of the ebook is something that sounds interesting.

Last, but not least, THANK YOU to everyone who participated in the hop, came to my blog and commented. I really appreciate it. We all do.

Hope you all have a wonderful, happy holiday season!

Manday Monday and Tribute

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Paul Walker died a few days ago. I loved him in FF. Thought I share one of his pics today in tribute. Because we lost one of our go to Manday men. He will be missed, and not just because he was so pretty.

 

And a close up.

 

Hot Autumn Nights Blog Hop

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One more blog hop to end the year on a high note. I’ve got a new release this month from Foreword Literary in their anthology entitled Holiday Spice. My story, HOMECOMING, is in there. It’s a brother’s best friend turned lover and their first holiday at home… together.

I also had a release late last month from Totally Bound entitled FARSEEN. That book has witchy goodness, menage and magic. FarSeen is Part 1 of a 2 part prequel to my OtherKind series. NIGHT BLIND  is Part 2. I just got my cover for it, and HAT TRICK. If you scroll down the side bar, you can see the cover for Night Blind.  Or scroll down the blog and read a snippet from it. Homecoming and FarSeen have numerous snippets peppered throughout the blog, click on snippet in the category or tags and it will pull them up for you in one location. To see the cover for Hat Trick, mouse over titles and click on Name of the Game. Hat Trick is Book 2 in that series.

So this blog hop is to celebrate those things, like my book releases or just to have fun around the holidays. lol Thanksgiving is one such holiday. Food, family and football. The ubiquitous recipe for food coma. Our country could get invaded during the aftermath of Thanksgiving dinner and we wouldn’t do more than groan and roll ourselves onto the couch to lie down. lol

Speaking of which, my favorite way to spend hot autumn nights– especially a Friday night, is to go watch a local high school football game. Hanging out with friends, neighbors and other parents cheering on the local team sipping hot apple cider with someone you like-like. 😉 Holding hands, grabbing a 3-2 beer, making out under bleachers and generally horsing around. Grinning like mad when the team scores, booing the refs off the field and shaking my groove thang to the slightly off-key marching band. Could any night get more perfect? Whether this is date night with your lover or just getting together with the community, what a great way to spend a fall night. Well, I guess if it turned even more sultry and hot later, you know, after the game with… a… smokin’… hot… round… of… ummm… kissing. Yeah, that’s it– kissing. 🙂

Anyway, you can choose either the Holiday Spice anthology with Homecoming or FarSeen as your ebook of choice. Just leave me a comment. I’d love it if you told me about your perfect hot autumn night, but any comment will do. Just be sure to include your email, which format you want the ebook and which ebook you want.

I hope you enjoy the hop. To get the most out of it, check out the others in the hop as well. There is a $80 grand prize gift card as well as cool winnable swag from other authors. The gift card is being picked at random from a commenter from one of the blogs.  If my understanding is correct, random.org is being used to pick a blog in the linky list at random, then a commenter from that blog will be picked at random. Just as an FYI– you increase your chances of winning the GRAND prize if you comment at each blog. So stop by, have fun and enjoy yourself!!!!