Just a quick detour before I get back to the cruise pics. I was browsing through Amazon yesterday and found this! I have a short story in this print collection Cleis is publishing, called “The Out-of-Towner”. It releases June 1, 2010.

Every woman has a girl crush — that physical and emotional fascination with another intriguing, provocative woman who inspires the thought, “What if?” Girl Crush answers that question with an inspiring range of erotic short stories about women acting on their desire and sometimes getting more than they bargained for. Teresa Lamai offers an erotic take on revenge in “Mirador,” when a woman has hate sex in a nightclub bathroom with the person her boyfriend is cheating on her with. In “Getting to Work,” David Erlewine writes about a hot young lawyer who has a lot of work to do to make a demanding, sex-craved partner happy. Writer and editor Rachel Kramer Bussel shows us the unexpected in “Great Lengths,” when an unrequited crush finally evolves into something more — and something less. In Girl Crush, what happens next is always a surprise, to straight women, bisexual women, and lesbians alike.

One more quick note: Sasha White posted pics from Labadee Island, Haiti. So be sure to head over to her blog!

On the afternoon of Day 3 of our cruise, we pulled into the port of San Juan, Puerto Rico. A really lovely place. And since it’s a U.S. territory—free cellphone minutes! Anyway, this pic is of a fortress on one side of the bay that I snapped as the ship pulled into port.

A view of the city. It’s a shame you can’t see the photos as I took them. Here they are very degraded by WordPress and small. Maybe I’ll load them into photobucket or Flickr and send you a link.

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I have tons of pictures and am having a terrible problem culling! So I thought I might do a chronological thing. But you won’t get 10 days of pics, promise.

Sasha White and I decided to add one extra day to the front and end of our trip so that we wouldn’t have to stress if a plane or boat arrived late. On the day of my flight to Newark, New Jersey, I was so excited I couldn’t sleep, so I left for the airport at 2:00 AM. I stopped in Malvern, Arkansas for breakfast at a Waffle House and joined the skater crowd of kids who all looked a little high. I was so early at the airport the airlines swapped me for an earlier flight, so I had time to kill before meeting Sasha at her gate in Newark.

We arrived at the Days Hotel in the early afternoon. The hotel was nice, but we knew we weren’t in a good part of town when we saw the tall chain link that surrounded the parking lot that was topped by strands of barbed wire. Add the armed guard in the guard shack at the entrance of the lot and you know we were glad we’d only be there one night.

Because we had so much extra time on our hands we road a shuttle from the hotel to the mall. We ended up sharing the ride with a woman who could have been the poster child for too much plastic surgery. And when she moved her hands and spoke, we realized she was probably a transgender person as well. Had to mention that because when I got back to the hotel, I passed another in the lobby, and rode the elevator with another. Must have been a convention. And you know me. I wanted so bad to ask one of them if I could see their new parts. I thought maybe they’d be like strangers you meet who are so proud of their new tattoos that they will pull up their shirts or push down the waistband of their pants and show them to you. But I refrained.

Anyway, the camera came out the following day.

It was freaking cold when we arrived at harbor. Royal Caribbean had a large heated, semi-permanent tent set up to process everyone through passports. Still the windchill was in the 20’s and I only brought a rain jacket. I was glad to finally get through this door.

Inside, I stood in line with 2800 other people waiting to process in.

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Thanks to all my guest bloggers for being here while I was gone. I hope everyone enjoyed it.

My friend, Sasha White, and I had an AWESOME trip. Part much-needed vacation, part writing retreat—we seriously have to plan another adventure! Over the next few days we’ll both get pictures of our trip up. Sasha and I will coordinate postings so we don’t cover the same topics.

Until then, I just want to say I’m glad to be back. I missed my morning blogs and talking to you. I did get some work done while I was away, which you can tell if you check out my progress meters to the right. I should have the next chapter of Bad Moon Rising ready to go within a week—written to your specifications! It’ll be a late present from me!

Until tomorrow! ~DD

Welcome my friend and reader, Heather! I should be back from my trip and online again tomorrow! Thanks to the authors and readers who contributed to my blog!! ~DD

Reading was always my escape.

As a 1st grader I was reading at recess and by the time I was a freshman in high school I had completed all the books on the sophomore, Junior, and Senior reading lists. It was an easy feat because reading came easily to me and I enjoyed all of the books. My AP English teacher eventually let me read the books I wanted because she couldn’t keep up with my demand.

I was teased for always having my nose in a book. I even read on the bus for my senior trip when everyone else was watching movies. In my defense, it was Mission Impossible.

Books meant everything to me. At 31, they still do.

As I got older I started exploring fiction, which was mostly Anne Rice. Her book Belinda will forever be a favorite of mine. It was shortly after college I discovered Delilah Devlin. Her books quickly became my favorites and she soon introduced me to a lot of my favorite authors today.

I love that many of the characters in all of the books are full of life. The plots are always varied and of course the sex and romance is off the charts.

When I started graduate school, I had to cut back on my recreational reading, so books became my reward for completing my weekly work early. The reward I got for completing my semester with the grade I desired. I stick with authors I know because I am terrified of reading a book that stinks when I am rewarding myself. I review books as well, so I know that the market is flooded with stinkers.

This June when I got my MBA, I read erotic fiction all the time. Often times reading a book a night. Many amazing authors filled my nights while Chris Daughtry blared on my iPod. The books helped distract me from the rest of my life which was in turmoil. The Time Travelers Wife broke up over a solid month of erotic fiction. The Time Traveler’s Wife is an amazing read if you haven’t read it already.

Books have always been there for me when I needed them. They helped partially shape me into who I am. Often times it’s just helping me relax from a busy day or helping me forget the things that keep me up at night.

Happy Holidays everyone and treat yourself to a book!
~~Heather

Welcome guest blogger, Ashlyn Chase! ~DD

Why do people think I “don’t work?” Not readers or writers. I mean the people in my life. My husband, in-laws, friends…

Heck…I’ve been busy! I had three releases in September. One free short story for the Ellora’s Cave website, one for their fundraiser, and a Total-e-Bound novella, which is the only one that will put bread on the table. It’s called Oh My God and is an erotic comedy about the Greek God Dionysus. It was nominated for a CAPA and an Eppie award and is still one of my personal favorites. The cover is so spectacular, readers have told me their first words are the same as the title: Oh. My. God!

During that time, I was working on edits for my first mass market paperback which is being released in June by Sourcebooks. I’m happy to say it’s off to copyediting and proofreading now, and I’m very proud of it. I can’t wait to share it with the world!

For several weeks now, I’ve been writing its sequel. I’m under contract for a series of three books. It’s known as the “Strange series.” LOL. Book one is called Strange Neighbors and it’s a light urban fantasy set in an apartment building populated with paranormal misfits. The second one, which I’m working on now is Strange Bedfellows. By the time the third one rolls around, I hope to have another Strange title. I’ve never written books this long before (90,000 words) and it’s quite a challenge.

Sometime during the summer, I was asked to participate in a themed series with three other authors. It’s like The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, except with older women and a pair of red stilettos! I couldn’t resist! I got became especially excited about it when the awesome and talented Delilah Devlin signed on!

Our proposal was approved, so I wrote that “in my spare time.” Now I need to submit it to my editor when the others are ready. I read Delilah’s story and looooved it! I think the series will be titled Red Stilettos, but that isn’t written in stone yet.

My next release will be coming from Total-e-Bound in December. It’s a novella called Green Card. It’s not my usual erotic comedy, but it’s a hot Rubinesque contemporary. It’s about a recent immigrant, Katia, trying to make some extra cash as a life model to send to her family back home.

The cover is so beautiful, I had to keep it even though the woman in the picture is fair and thin and my heroine in the story is dark and on the chubby side. But she’s the perfect inspiration for the hero who prefers to draw voluptuous women in his sensuous artistic style. He makes her feel special and perfect just the way she is. I like a man who can see past superficial “flaws” and find the beauty within.

So, yeah, I don’t work at all. I just lie around the house all day eating bon-bons, and if I feel like doing a little housework, well good for me. LOL.

Welcome fellow EC author, Kathy Kulig! ~DD

Thanks Delilah for letting me guest blog. I thought I’d do something with a holiday theme.

I love listening to Christmas music, at home, on the way to work and at work, beginning from Thanksgiving until after the New Year. I checked out Amazon to see what the top selling CDs are. I was surprised the traditional ones I listened to as a kid weren’t in the top 10. Bing Crosby was #27, Burl Ives didn’t even make the top 100, Nat King Cole was #100. They’re really old songs but ones I hear every year on the radio. Personally, I enjoy Mannheim Steamroller and Trans-Siberian Orchestra.

Does anyone remember the house in Ohio that had their lights synchronized to “Wizards in Winter” by Trans-Siberian Orchestra? I think Coco-Cola used it in a commercial later too. Here’s the YouTube link if you want to check it out: Wizards in Winter

Some fun facts: The illuminated Christmas tree started in England during Queen Victoria’s reign 1832, and through immigration spread to North America and Australia. The first known electrically lit Christmas tree was in 1882 by Edward H. Johnson, an associate of Thomas Edison, and vice-president of Edison Electric Light Company (now Con-Edison in NY City). He hand strung 80 red, white and blue incandescent light bulbs the size of walnuts. (From Wikipedia, where else?)

Where did Christmas songs originate? In AD 129, a Roman Bishop said that a song called “Angel’s Hymn” should be sung at a Christmas service in Rome. The first specifically Christmas hymns that we know of appear in fourth century Rome. Latin hymns such as Veni Redemptor Gentium, written by Ambrose, Archbishop of Milan. St. Francis of Assisi in 1223 in Italy started his Nativity Plays with songs or “canticles” that told stories. The carols later spread to France, Germany, Spain and other European countries.

For classic songs, one of my favorites is: “Do You Hear What I Hear?” What are your favorites?

Wishing everyone a happy, safe and healthy holiday!

I have a free read with a Thanksgiving theme on my website if you care to check it out: A Moveable Feast For Demons

Warm regards,

Kathy Kulig

Read Kathy’s latest!

While working on an environmental project in the Arizona desert, research scientist Amy Weston finds herself caught in the war between two men. Dante Akanto lures her into the desert to explore the dark side of her passions, pleasuring her in ways she never thought possible with his bizarre sex games. And park ranger Jake Montag has a compelling mysticism and powerful sensuality that’s impossible to resist.

But the two men, demon and shapeshifter, are engaged in a supernatural fight between worlds. Amy and her high level of life force energy is the key. Dante’s world and his immortality depend on claiming her as his own. The choice Amy makes between the two men will affect both her world and her future.

Reader Advisory: Contains scenes of mild bondage.

Give a warm welcome to Mary Alice Pritchard! ~DD

All I want for Christmas is a weir wolf or maybe a weir tiger. Really! I love shifters. What is it I love about them? Well, besides all that gorgeous male anatomy, there is the dark tortured soul that just begs for someone to save him. Those alpha males with their dark sides are so sexy to me. Can you imagine waking up Christmas morning to one under your tree? I can dream can’t I?

What else might I want this Christmas? I don’t think we have enough time for me to give you the entire list but just to name a few: an e-book reader; a back up drive for my computer; a gift certificate for Amazon; and my list of e-books I want for my e-book reader. I don’t want much do I? Seriously, what all do you guys want? I might pick up some ideas if you share them with everyone. Leave a comment. I’d love to know.

What do I like most about Christmas? Watching people unwrap their gifts. Especially if it’s something I’ve given them. I like to see that first look on their faces when they realize what it is. Nothing is as sweet as watching children though. They get excited about everything. Well, everything except clothes that is. The younger they are the more fun it is to watch. They have just as much fun with the boxes and paper as the toy itself. I remember watching my nephews open their presents when they were younger and thinking I could have just wrapped up empty boxes for them to play with.

I write shifter books because I love to read them. I’ve probably own or read just about everyone ever written. My house is full of books. If you love to read like I do you know what I mean. Hence…the e-book reader for Christmas. Are there any other shifter fans out there? Let me hear from you. Which type do you like the most, the wolves or the cats? I’m partial to cats myself. If you read my blog you’ll learn just how much.

Right now, I have a cat shifter book out, Jaguar Nights. It’s about a jaguar shifter, Cole, who has trouble with his temper and fears he will lose his pride if he can’t control it. He meets his mate, a human who has been bitten by a rogue wolf and finds that she can help him calm his beast. Since he had to heal her using his blood, he doesn’t know if she will turn wolf or jaguar if she turns at all. Can he claim her as his mate without knowing for sure? Will he provide the home she has always wanted or will he be the death of her? The sequel to Jaguar Nights, entitled Leopard Dreams, will be out later next year. It continues the story of the weir cat pride and their struggles.

You can purchase Jaguar Nights, the first in the Tales of the Cat series at www.thewildrosepress or at www.amazon.com
Mary Alice Pritchard

Hope to hear from you about all your favorite things soon!