Bonnie Dee

Changing Over to Group Blog

2007-09-10T06:34:00.001-07:00

Because I've had so much trouble disciplining myself to post on a regular basis, I've decided to join a group blog, Erotic Muses. I'll be posting there--faithfully--every Friday! My personal blog here will probably be discontinued.

Erotic Muses is a brand new group blog featuring five spectacular authors, five days a week. Stop by the blog Monday, Sept. 10 for introductions, Tuesday, Sept. 11 for details on our launch contest. The Grand Prize winner will receive a download from each of our five fab authors: Laura Bacchi, Bonnie Dee, Jayelle Drewry, Dee Knight and Veronica Wilde. Collect the answers to five questions, email them and check the blog on Friday, September 21 to see if you’ve won.

In other news, Boundless, a trio of tales about three out-of-this-world heroes is available now at Liquid Silver Books. Authors are Annie Dean, Dionne Galace and myself. Check out the contest, which is running through Sept. 12. You can win some beautiful bath products. The Boundless trio will be taking over Jaci Burton’s blog one day this week to talk about our strong-willed heroines.

Opposites Attract Available Now

2007-07-03T06:52:00.001-07:00

Opposites Attract is available at Samhain today.

An uptight concert cellist. A freewheeling rock guitarist. Does love stand a chance?

Kelly, cellist with the symphony orchestra, has always been too busy working to enjoy life. When Ren, lead guitarist for an up-and-coming band moves into her building, he rocks her world. She’s never had sex so sizzling. Ren continues to assault her barriers even as she tries to push him away. Then he goes on tour, which she thinks proves she was right not to get involved. Only problem is his band’s hit song haunts her everywhere she turns and she can’t drive the man out of her head.

A tragic accident makes her rethink her fear of commitment, but is it too late to offer him the love she withheld? Kelly takes a drastic step to prove to Ren she’s willing to change. She can be just as hip as any rock groupie. Overcoming obstacles of her own making, uptight Kelly releases her inhibitions and lets love take control.

This is a previously released title.

Winner of the Got a Minute? contest

2007-06-29T10:34:00.000-07:00

Winner of the Got a Minute? anthology is Valerie Bongards. Thanks to all who toured my site and participated in the scavenger hunt. And congratulations, Valerie. There are some great authors represented in this antho of short, hot reads.

Got a Minute? Win a Book contest

2007-06-21T09:35:00.001-07:00

In celebration of my newly redesigned website I want to give away a copy of the hot new anthology of brief encounters guaranteed to get you all steamed up, “Got a Minute?” This paperback is from Cleis Press with stories selected by editor, Alison Tyler.

All you have to do to enter the drawing for the book is answer a few questions you’ll find on the home page of my website or on my Yahoo group if you’re a member or care to join. The contest sends you on a short scavenger hunt through my site so you can see the beautiful layout April Martinez designed for me, and learn a little about my writing.

Contest deadline is next Friday, June 29, so go to BonnieDee.com for details.

Three at Last

2007-06-18T21:47:00.000-07:00

After being postponed a week due to tech difficulties, THREE is finally available at Liquid Silver Books!

Tradition assures us lovers come in pairs and couples are the definitive relationship. But what if searching for our other half reveals we're meant to love more than one? Explore the possibilities of a trio of lovers with Lisa Andel, T.A. Chase and Bonnie Dee.

Is it possible to sustain a relationship with three? Can a threesome be the ulitmate expresson of love?

"Tia's Leash" by Lisa Andel - Enter the world of Tia West. Not enough of a werewolf to shift, but loaded with sex appeal. The males in her pack fear accidentally mating her, but can't stop from mounting her. The females just want her dead. What's a woman to do? Stay with her friends and family, and be kept on a leash? Or take a chance on two very different men?

"Two for One" by T.A. Chase - Jack Samson moves to Sumerset to start over again. He’s looking forward to his new veterinary practice and maybe having some fun once in a while. He certainly isn’t looking to fall for two men. Simon Wittman and Brady Vanderly have been partners for fifteen years. They love each other, but they like to play. When they pick Jack up at a local gay bar, they think they’re just looking for a night or two of fun. They end up finding so much more.

"Awakening" by Bonnie Dee - Melissa silently lusts after her co-worker Michael, but can barely speak to him. When her roommate, Rachel hooks up with this man of her dream, Melissa is at first devastated then abruptly drawn into a threesome. The relationship is an experiment, meant to last one wild, sex-filled weekend, but as the three become tightly entwined, it’s clear that at least two of them don’t want to let it go. Can Melissa re-think her “one woman, one man” attitude and embrace a different kind of connection?

Excerpt from my story, Awakening:

Melissa gazed into the eyes of the man of her dreams. They were a deep cobalt blue, the vibrant color only achieved by contact lenses or certain movie actors. No one she’d ever met in real life had eyes so vivid, so piercing, so … guh, the things he was doing with his finger, while his eyes stared into hers. She squirmed at the touch on her clit. Slowly moving circles grew faster and her body jerked in time to the rhythm. “Oh please,” she whispered almost soundlessly.

“You like that?” His clipped British consonants coupled with his husky voice made the question sexy.

“Uh!” she nodded, biting her lip.

“Then you’ll love this.” He knelt before her, grabbing her hips and placing his mouth where his hand had been. As he flilcked his tongue lightly but steadily over the tiny bud, waves of sensation built deep inside her.

“Oh, God, Michael!” She wanted to shout it out, but kept the words inside her head. They were at work in a room anyone might enter. She had to keep silent.

But as the fizzy champagne bubbles of her orgasm built and built at the point of contact, she couldn’t suppress her panting breath and gasp of pleasure. One last stroke and the cork popped. Champagne fizzed through her entire nervous system, drenching her in tingling wetness.

Melissa moaned softly and opened her eyes. The stall door faced her. She pulled her finger out from under the elastic of her panties and smoothed her skirt over her hips. Breathing heavily, she flushed to toilet to give herself another moment of privacy then opened the door and walked into the ladies’ washroom. She crossed to the sink and turned on the water, staring at her face in the mirror.

“You pathetic, bitch!” she whispered at the girl with wide brown eyes, an upturned button nose and sharp pointed chin. Her hair was drawn back from her face in a simple ponytail and the few straggling curls on her forehead stuck to a sheen of sweat.

Melissa tested the running water with her hand and found it warm. She wanted to plunge her whole head into water and cool herself down but settled for dampening a piece of paper towel and blotting her forehead and cheeks.

Before she washed her hand, she breathed in the scent of her finger, coated with her own carnal juices. Sex. At this rate, the only kind she was going to have would be with herself.

Doggie Disaster

2007-06-07T06:13:00.001-07:00

This is my poor little 3 1/2 pound Yorkie, Buttons, who was attacked a couple of Sundays ago by a huge neighbor dog. The neighbors don't keep their dog fenced. Buttons was outside our fence (but in our yard), having slipped under the gate, and the nasty old thing came over and chomped down on him. Bleeding fang marks on both sides of his body, we rushed him to the vet.

In addition to the obvious wounds, the vet identified a hernia, tearing of the muscle beneath the skin through which intestines poke through (isn't that pleasant?) and said he should be operated on. So, Tuesday (this was the day after Memorial Day) Buttons went under the knife. See the humongous gash stitched up along his side? Once the vet got in there, it was much more serious than expected. The ripped muscle went all the way up to the chest cavity and he had to make stitches between breaths, sew the whole thing up then suction the air out of the chest cavity so it wouldn't compress the lungs.

But after only a day of laying around the house, this resilient little dog was ready to play again and would've run around outdoors if I'd have let him. Now, a bit over a week later, he's completely back to normal except for his Frankenstein stitching up the side.

We're trying to get the neighbors to both fence their dog and pay the hospital bill. We'll see how that goes.

Have a slice of Blackberry Pie...

2007-06-01T06:11:00.001-07:00

The Samhain Midsummer Night's Steam series launches today. I'm pleased to be one of the first up at bat as we usher in the summer months with this sexy new series. Check out the other great stories available at Samhain today.

“Blackberry Pie” by Bonnie Dee

Buy from MBaM!
Read An Excerpt Online
Genre: Historical Romance, Red Hots!

ISBN: 1-59998-595-0
Length: Short Story
Price: 2.50
Publication Date: June 1, 2007
Cover art by Anne Cain

A young minister’s celibacy is challenged by an earthy, Appalachian woman.

A Midsummer Night’s Steam story

On a blistering summer afternoon, Reverend Nathan Andrews climbs a mountain to meet backwoods members of his congregation. Fresh from seminary, the young man isn’t prepared for the onslaught of lust that hits him when he encounters a sensuous girl picking blackberries.

Determined to implement his outreach plan, he helps her harvest the fruit. But their potent sexual chemistry is too intense to deny and they engage in passionate sex surrounded by the beauty of nature.

Grace is earthy and primal, the opposite of the proper young lady he expects to take as a wife some day. Can there possibly be a future for a college-educated minister and a primitive mountain girl?

Fruits of Betrayal, a Terran Realm Book

2007-05-15T06:54:00.000-07:00

The fourth Terran Realm book, Fruits of Betrayal is now available at Liquid Silver Books.
For those of you who've been wondering what was in the mysterious box in Measure of a Man , you'll find the surprising answer.

"Can he trust the woman who betrayed him to help save the one he loves?"

Justin Foster has long been a respected, valued Protector of the Keepers of the Environment. His loyalty to KOTE shatters when Destroyer Raymond Brody has something he needs and Justin betrays all he believes in.

Elyse Greenwood’s psyche is a battleground where good and evil struggle daily. Torn between her Protector tendencies and her Destroyer allegiance, she has yet to fully commit to either side.

The two former lovers are forced to work together and along the way acknowledge some truths about themselves. As more of Brody’s plan for world domination is revealed, those involved discover how far they will go to achieve their own desires and learn that the fruits of betrayal are not always sweet.

I've Been Tagged

2007-05-10T06:43:00.000-07:00

I've been tagged by Lisa Andel.

Here's the eight things about myself:
1. I’m obsessed with movies and TV dramas, because I love to be told a story.
2. I have a 4 lb.Yorkie named Buttons.
3. My youngest daughter is graduating high school in a month.
4. I feel and look much younger than 46.
5. I’ve become obsessive about writing and spend hours every day doing it.
6. I once played Golde in Fiddler on the Roof.
7. I went to New Orleans last summer, adding my tourist dollars to the rebuilding effort.
8. In high school I was voted “Most Ambitious.” I think they made up the category just for me.

People I've tagged:

http://darraghafoster.blogspot.com/

http://bridgetmidway.blogspot.com/

http://www.colleenslovenotes.blogspot.com/

http://www.emdrake.com/blog/

http://www.emmasinclair.com/blog/

http://anncory.blogspot.com/

http://cocoakisses.blogspot.com/

http://www.anniedean.net/id19.htm

THE RULES:
Here are the rules according to whomever likes to makeup rules (not me):
1. Each player starts with eight random facts/habits about themselves.
2. People who are tagged need to write their own blog about their eight things and post these rules.
3. At the end of your blog, you need to choose eight people to get tagged and list their names. (All's fair in Lurv and bloggin')
4. Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them they’re tagged, and to read your blog.

The Warrior's Gift now available

2007-05-08T07:35:00.000-07:00

The Warrior's Gift is now available at Loose Id.

Given as a sexual mate to primitive warrior, Katya finds unexpected passion. But though the two find love, they still must win their freedom.

In Katya's world, villagers sacrifice their daughters as sex slaves for a sect of warriors who keep their lands safe from invasion. Katya is chosen as a "bride” and submits for the sake of her family. Her Warrior, Turan, turns out to be a sweet, gentle giant of a man, despite being raised in ignorance of anything but fighting and killing. He knows as little about sex as she, but his primal passions burn hot.

Together they learn the pleasures of the flesh...and incite a revolution that changes their world forever.

Evolving Man Available Now

2007-04-17T08:02:00.000-07:00

Evolving Man Available at Samhain today!

You think men have changed over the centuries? Forget about it! Scratch the surface of any twenty-first century male and you’ll find a cock-wielding caveman underneath.

In this time travel comedy, three roommates discover the truth about men as each becomes involved with a special lover. The friends also learn a little about themselves. Skeptic Chrissy sets her logic aside and allows her libido to run free with a primitive barbarian named Gareth. Scientist Lila experiences the testosterone hidden in her geeky cyber-buddy, Zach. Free-spirited Taylor brings sexuality and fun into the life of John, a repressed businessman from the future.

As they unravel the tangled knot transporting people through time creates, the women all come to realize a man is a man. The best never changes.

Excerpt:

I’ve taken it a step further than simply viewing moments in time. Not only can my machine show images in time, but it can literally ‘capture’ a frame and materialize a figure contained in it in the flesh. Right here in this booth.”

“Oh, I get it. Like in Star Trek. ‘Beam me up, Scottie’.” Taylor laughed. “It’s amazing, Lila.”

“Yes, just like Star Trek.” Lila’s voice dripped sarcasm.

On the screen, the marauding Vikings anchored ship and rowed small skiffs toward land. Lila fast-forwarded with a click of the mouse, making the boats race across the water. She slowed the scene again, and the men climbed out of the boats to splash through the shallows toward the beach.

The sailors were tall and muscular, dressed in hide shirts and leggings, their faces almost hidden behind full beards and moustaches. Long, blond hair flowed from beneath their helmets. The Norse warriors brandished swords, pikes and other assorted pointy things as they charged onto the pebbled shore.

Waiting to meet the assault was a much smaller group of men, dressed in fur and leather hides. Remembering a little history, Chrissy guessed they were northern European or Briton villagers facing the marauders. The obvious leader of the defending army was taller and bulkier than his men. His shoulders and chest strained his deer-hide jerkin. Black hair was caught back in a leather thong at the nape of his neck. White teeth flashed against tan skin as he shouted encouragement to the other men, most of whom seemed on the verge of breaking and running before the attacking Vikings. The leader held his sword high and urged his men forward.

Although the moving picture was silent, Chrissy could imagine the man’s cries to defend the village and the women and children. She felt sorry for the young leader, in charge of a timid group of fishermen with lame-looking weapons, facing a pack of huge, fierce Norsemen.

The two sides clashed. The fishing folk were definitely outmatched by the invaders. Chrissy cringed as limbs flew and blood spurted.

“Nasty,” Taylor murmured. “But, man, that guy’s kind of hot.” She pointed to one of the Norsemen with flowing gold locks and bared teeth.

Lila frowned and froze the scene. “Typical, Taylor, I’m talking about assembling a think tank to solve the world’s problems and you’re ogling the men.”

“No harm in looking.” She shrugged, tossing back her curly, blonde hair.

Chrissy stared at the frozen image of the battle. It was crystal clear down to the details of sunlight glinting off the sharp edges of weapons and blood welling from an open wound. Despite her disbelief, she was intrigued at the prospect of a time-traveling think tank. “How would you communicate with them? Da Vinci didn’t speak English, and I’m sure if you talked to one of these guys,” she nodded at the screen, “you’d get some incomprehensible dead language.”

“Ah.” Lila went to her work table and came back with an ear-piece much like a hearing aid. “I’ve also invented this translating device. It works by reading thought patterns and deciphering them into words the listener understands, rather than translating one language into another. Cool, huh?” Lila beamed, pleased with her own cleverness.

Chrissy stared, feeling terribly guilty she hadn’t even noticed her friend was cracking up. Lila spent days holed up here alone on the third floor of the house in her attic workshop. Her friends had always thought of her as an innovative genius with her many, ongoing experiments and inventions, but clearly her train had derailed.

Chrissy looked from her insane friend’s exultant face to the frozen picture on the screen. The Viking leader and the head defender of the soil were engaged in combat, swords poised ready to thrust. Their mouths were open, shouting. Blood and sweat streaked their bearded faces. The charge of testosterone in the air was almost palpable, and she was embarrassed to feel her crotch tighten simply from staring at the image of the two primitive warriors.

“Well, it’s an amazing idea. I can see you’ve worked hard on it.”

“So, exactly how would you do it?” Taylor traced a finger over the Viking seaman’s bulging biceps. “I mean, actually pick one and bring him to life?”

“It’s like computer animation,” Lila explained. “You choose the figure you want to work with, then, instead of manipulating the image as you would in movie making, you press this button and bring him to this moment in time. Your Star Trek analogy actually isn’t that far off the mark. Basically we’re deconstructing molecules and reassembling them here.”

“Very cool.” Taylor nodded as if it made perfect sense.

Lila did a point and click thing with her mouse and soon the dark-haired barbarian was outlined in red. “See? I’ve ‘cut him out of the picture’, so to speak. He’s the target now.”

Chrissy decided it was time to break the spell. The only way she was going to reach Lila’s addled brain was to demonstrate that the machine didn’t work. “Then you’d press this button?” She reached out and pushed a black button on the left side of the control panel.

“No! Chrissy, don’t!” Lila yelled, grabbing at her wrist.

There was a high-pitched, whining sound and the air shimmered then became as opaque as a dark cloud. Chrissy actually felt a change in the density of space around them, a thickening that made the air almost palpable. Suddenly an extra body crowded into the booth with the three women. Chrissy was pressed up against solid muscle, hot, sweaty skin and rank, half-cured animal hides.

The big, bearded man was still roaring his battle cry. Momentum brought his arm down with a mighty slice of his sword, right past Taylor’s face. The sword cleaved the monitor screen in two, sending jagged glass shards and electric sparks flying.

All of the women screamed and scrambled to get away. The barbarian bellowed and drew his sword out of the wreckage of the monitor.

As she stumbled from the booth, fighting to keep her balance and run away at the same time, Chrissy caught a glimpse of the man’s eyes.

They were wide and confused and they zeroed in on her. He lunged and grabbed her wrist, holding her fast in his powerful grip while yelling something in a language that sounded like pebbles being ground in a cement mixer.

Chrissy screamed at the top of her lungs, a piercing, fire engine wail.

The man dropped her wrist immediately.

She fled across the room.

The barbarian raised his sword, knocking the control panel and sending it crashing onto the floor. He backed out of the booth, holding the sword up in front of him and turning in a slow circle, assessing the room around him.

Shrieking, Taylor ran out the door and clattered down the stairs.

Lila froze near the open door, holding her hands up in a surrendering posture.

Chrissy sidled over to stand shoulder to shoulder with her. It was imperative they didn’t let this guy out of the room. She pictured the barbarian hacking his way through the city, maiming pedestrians and stabbing shopkeepers, probably getting run over by a car or shot by the police. They must contain and calm him then send him back where he came from.

Deer Carcasses

2007-04-11T06:45:00.000-07:00

I am blessed to live in rural Southwest Michigan. When I walk my dogs on a quiet, unpaved country road, I would expect to be able to enjoy the pastoral serenity. Hah! Death and destruction lay all around me.

During hunting season, deer carcasses are tossed into ditches on either side of this particular road. Turkeys, too. When the weather gets warm, my walk is perfumed with their rotting scent. There are also, I don't exaggerate on any of these items, mattresses, a couch, a small refrigerator, old tires, an abandoned bicycle, a motor, and general smaller items of trash littering the woods on either side of my path.

I'm not about to put on rubber gloves, grab trash bags and be an Earth Avenger. Most of the items are too big to be hauled away without a couple of people and a truck, and as for the smaller stuff--I spent years picking up after my kids, I'm not responsible for stranger's messes. I just want to enjoy my walk with no muss or fuss!

Over the years, I've grown used to the mess and look past it or through it, but occasionally a new addition to the garbage collection will leave me shaking my head at the callous disregard of grown adults for the world they live in.

The Black Donnellys

2007-04-03T08:31:00.000-07:00

Has anyone been watching The Black Donnellys? It’s kind of an Irish Sopranos—at least as far as being about a family and crime. But the Brothers Donnelly aren’t part of an organized crime ring. They’re mostly idiots who stumble from one ill-conceived scheme to another. The oldest, Jimmy, who runs a local bar is a violent-tempered danger to himself and his brothers. Kevin is a luckless gambler, who drags everyone into his money troubles. Youngest brother, Sean is basically a dumb kid who doesn’t realize he has a chance to escape the neighborhood by focusing his attention on college. He’s all about the chicks and easy money and doing whatever his brothers do.

Tommy is the hero, the brother who gets stuck trying to pull his siblings out of the constant trouble they create for themselves when all he really wants to do is attend college, developing his artistic abilities, and love local girl, Jennie. He can’t escape his family and each week things get worse, as more complications arise. He’s up against both the Irish and Italian mafia, either of which would slaughter his whole family in a heartbeat if the truth about a certain hit came to light.

I’m a sucker for this kind of high drama leavened with dark humor. Comic relief is added by Joey “Ice Cream,” the tag-along, would-be other brother, who has always wanted to be part of their dysfunctional family and by the ludicrous behavior of anyone who isn’t darkly serious Tommy.

Check it out Monday nights at 10:00. Intriguing show.

Why Joss Whedon is my hero!

2007-03-28T07:29:00.000-07:00

All right, I’m five years too late here. I was resistant to the idea of Firefly because space ships don’t really pop my cork, and because I was annoyed that the project took Joss’ attention away from Buffy thus allowing the final season of the show to fizzle rather than pop—until the final episode which he, of course, wrote. So, I didn’t watch Firefly. Guess that makes me a contributing factor in the show being cancelled.

When the spin-off movie, Serenity, came out, I watched it (waiting for dvd though) and liked it quite a lot, but I didn’t really know the characters and I still wasn’t inspired to buy the series. Recently, out of the blue I decided to give it a try.

I should have known if Joss had a hand in it the show would be great. I worship at the altar of Joss Whedon. He is a master hand at balancing pathos and humor, action and romance, horror and quippy one-liners. If you’ve ever watched him interviewed, it’s really the way he talks, always throwing in little off-beat comments and Jossisms. I love this man! I admire the hell out of his writing and his imagination and his drive to get things done against all odds.

Every character in Firefly is intriguing and multi-faceted. Yes, they represent certain ‘types’ but there are always contradictory layers in a Joss Whedon character. Not one of them left me bored or thinking, “Oh no, it’s a so-and-so storyline, ho-hum.” I loved every single one of them. The actors were perfect. I adore the way Joss re-uses actors. If someone does a small role and shines, he’ll remember and cast them again. For example, Summer Glau, who plays River Tam in Firefly played a small yet pivotal role as a ballet dancer in an Angel episode—lucky for her.

After I finished every episode of Firefly, I had to buy Serenity and watch it again, too. Even though the movie stood alone all right, it meant much more to me knowing the backstory.

I had to check out what my man, Joss is up to these days, and for those who care, here it is at TVguide.com

“Creator Joss Whedon is preparing Buffy: Season 8, but this time around the adventures are in comic-book form, arriving in March 2007 from Dark Horse Comics. We talked to Whedon about Buffy, today's TV and his many other projects.”

TVGuide.com: Any other TV plans? Or did the shabby treatment of Firefly do it for you?
Whedon: Firefly wounded me really badly, but I love, love, love TV. It's just a question of freeing up time. I have a few commitments, Wonder Woman being the biggest. I can't let any of them slide, so I've got to get through the things I already agreed to do before I can start agreeing to do other things. But I miss TV. I'm not going to lie: I love it.

(Also, it looks from another article like Joss was pulled from the Wonder Woman project.)

TVGuide.com: Is the idea of sequels to Serenity completely dead?
Whedon: Nobody's asked me for anything more. They all know that I'm there, and that it's not something I would ever turn my back on. But they do have to ask. I don't have all that money.

So, that's what I found out on Joss's current work. Man, I love this guy. I'm also planning to check out Tim Minear's "Drive" (with Nathan Fillion) coming up soon in April on Fox.

Check out TransAmerica

2007-03-16T09:15:00.000-07:00

Did you like Little Miss Sunshine? This movie has the same offbeat, quirky humor mixed with touching, heart-wrenching family drama.

It's the story of preoperative transsexual Bree (Felicity Huffman) who discovers he fathered a child from one chance sexual encounter. He wants to ignore the unexpected responsibility, but is sucked into helping son, Toby (Kevin Zegers).

After he springs the teen from jail, the pair end up on a cross country road trip during which they form a reluctant bond. Bree is forced to face some truths about herself, her family and her tendency to keep her life isolated rather than risk pain. Both actors do an amazing job, but Huffman especially shines as caustic, brittle, vulnerable Bree.

Firefly Has Arrived!

2007-03-14T09:51:00.000-07:00

For being a huge Joss Whedon fan, I've been very resistant to Firefly. I watched the first episode, but outer space isn't really my thing and I never watched again. About six months ago I finally gave Serenity a try and thought it was a great movie and that perhaps I'd better check out Firefly after all. It's taken me this long to get around to it.

So, the other day I went to my favorite spot on the internet, half.com and purchased it. Tonight I'll dive in. I know how I am with a series on dvd. I always swear I'll dole it out slowly, but end up chomping through great big swadoos and finishing with a burp after a couple of days. I'll report back on what I think of Firefly.

Terran Realm News

2007-03-12T06:33:00.000-07:00

For those who somehow missed it, Liquid Silver's Terran Realm website is now open.

The first book in the series, Redemption by Keira Ramsay is already available. It is a sort of prequel to the series set about twenty years in the past.

My book, Measure of a Man, will be released next week and although it can easily stand alone, I thought some people might choose to read Keira's book first. (The link won't work until the book goes live on Monday evening, March 19)

There are character photos and bios at the Terran website, as well as an explanation of the Realm and even a gift shop where you can purchase related products like T-shirts, mouse pads, keychains, etc.

To Anyone Who Ever Left Me a Comment...

2007-03-09T09:01:00.000-08:00

I didn't realize I had a box checked for me to moderate comments. I had a pile of them all stacked up in there when I finally realized and changed it. I never meant to ignore anyone and will be a better blogger from now on, I swear!

For the technologically challenged, can anyone tell me why when I try to edit a previously published post by checking the box marked "Edit" Blogger won't let me do a thing to the post except look at it? I wanted to change "Pretties" to "Prettiest" but I can't get the damn thing to work!

Prettiest Cover Ever!

2007-03-07T10:30:00.000-08:00

No, it's not mine, but isn't this the Prettiest Cover Ever?
I was so impressed when I saw it that I had to go to the publisher's website and look what I found...
More Pretty Covers.

This is Juno Books, a new imprint from Wildside Press, which specializes in paranormal and fantasy with a strong female protagonist and not necessarily a romance.

How about this cover? Isn't it just gorgeous?

Just thought I'd share.

Paul Bettany- I'd Forgotten How Hot!

2007-01-08T09:27:00.000-08:00

I finally watched the Da Vinci Code this weekend, a book I could not get into despite all the hype. I found it boring and too detailed for my attention span. Also, no sex or romance.

So, the Da Vinci Code wasn't the best suspense movie ever, but good enough to hold my attention for a couple of hours. But this post isn't about the movie. It's about the hotness of Paul Bettany.

As I watched the Silas character, I thought, "Isn't that Paul Bettany under all that makeup and contacts?" I also thought the emotionally scarred, religious zealot albino was hot in the same way Ralph Fiennes tattooed serial killer in Red Dragon was sexy. What's with that? I wouldn't want to deal with an emotional cripple in real life, but in movies and books, I find it a total turn-on!

Albino make-up, fake-Italian accent and all, the hotness of Paul Bettany shone through. I was more intrigued by this tortured character than by anything in the rest of the movie.

Finding Home available NOW at Samhain

2007-01-02T07:13:00.000-08:00

In a post-holiday funk? Experiencing mid-winter blues? You need to escape with a compelling, won't-let-you-go-til-the-last-page book! Check out Finding Home by Bonnie Dee and Lauren Baker at Samhain Publishing.

“Her family, friends and conscience all say it's wrong to fall for the hustler she rescued from the streets. But how come it feels so right?”

When Megan first meets Mouth, a homeless teenage hustler, on the streets of L.A., he’s the perfect subject for the expose she hopes will help her break into journalism. She doesn’t expect to be drawn into his life and become his friend to the point where she takes him in after he’s beaten and robbed by thugs.

As they learn to live together, a powerful attraction flourishes between Megan and the young man, whose real name is Sean. Although he’s street smart, tough and very mature, he’s also a youth in transition. When they finally give in to the sexual heat between them, Megan fears she’s taking advantage of her position as his mentor.
Their relationship challenges every aspect of her life. Megan must make difficult choices between the conflicting demands of her friends and family, her career and love.

Finding Home at Samhain in 2007

2006-11-17T08:23:00.000-08:00

Just got the cover for Finding Home which will be released by Samhain in January 2007. My partner, Lauren Baker and I are extremely excited about this book which has been in the works for a long time. We wrote it over two years ago when I first decided to take up professional writing. It languished at several print publishers for a long time before finally 'finding a home' at Samhain.

Can't find my blurb, but the basic premise of the story is this:
A young writer hoping to rise from fact checker to full fledged reporter writes an expose on street life. She meets and befriends a young hustler, helping him by offering him a place to stay when he gets beaten up and his money stolen. She tries to keep her sexual feelings for him buried since she is trying to act as a mentor, but eventually their mutual attraction surfaces and ignites. The protagonist, Megan learns the importance of people over career advancement and struggles with issues about her lover's age and background.

Moon Over Bourbon Street released

2006-11-14T07:01:00.000-08:00

<>REAL WEREWOLVES! Read about a true case of werewolves on Silver Expressions blog today as I celebrate the release of “Moon Over Bourbon Street” from Liquid Silver books. My research for the book inspired me to discover werewolf legends, lore and fact. The case history of a family with lycanthrope disease is fascinating and worth checking out here.
Drop a comment. I’d love to see you there today. <>

“Moon Over Bourbon Street” is about a detective, Rick Plazier and his receptionist, Amy Chang working two angles of a case that leads them to an ancient, deadly paranormal organization. Rick must come to terms with his wolf aspect and learn to use it to his advantage when Amy goes missing. Check out the excerpt at Liquid Silver where the book is available today!

How would you do in an apocalypse?

2006-10-27T09:28:00.000-07:00

Thinking of The Stand recently and watching Jericho, the new show about a little Kansas town dealing with life post-nuclear bomb attacks, put me in mind of apocalyptic matters. I’ve always been fascinated with these kinds of stories. The what ifs of destroyed civilization from Road Warrior to good old Charlton Heston in The Omega Man. I’m probably one of the few people who liked 28 Days Later enough to watch it several times.

<>
I love this them of post-civilization because the playing field is leveled and the true heroes rise to the surface. Those who take charge and do what needs to be done or sacrifice themselves in some way aren’t always the people who do well in day to day living, but in a crisis situation, watch’em soar. <>

I know I’d be the one hiding my head in the sand, waiting for someone to get the generators running and return me to my regularly scheduled programming. But when I watch or read apocalyptic stories, I can imagine I’d be heroic and I can enjoy being safe on my couch in my warm, well-lighted house. <>I’m former Catholic and I remember sitting in religion class as a child pondering martyr stories and thinking even then that I’d deny the hell out of being a Jesus follower if they’d set me free instead of crucifying me upside down or feeding me to lions.

What about you? Would you be the person pitching in and surviving after a disaster? Would you sacrifice yourself for the good of the group? Would you be able to stand the test of your metal? Just a thought for the day.

The Straw Man in time for Halloween

2006-10-18T08:30:00.000-07:00

The Straw Man is available at Venus Press today.

Tired of fantasy lovers, a lonely woman makes a Halloween wish that brings her a night of passionate love she’ll never forget. But once her dream is fulfilled, she realizes a single night isn’t nearly enough. She must find a way to bring her inanimate lover back to life and change the course of a life she has let drift for far too long.

Excerpt:
At last her candy stash ran dry and her patience wore thin from answering the doorbell all evening. She flipped off her porch light and changed from her witch’s dress into a stretched-out tank top and sweats. She washed off her age makeup to reveal her own smooth, oval face and brushed the snarls out of her shoulder-length, honey blond hair. She had just stretched out on the couch to watch the black-and-white, classic version of The Fly, when there was another knock on the door.

“Christ. Get a clue,” she muttered. “No light means no candy, stoopid.”

But the knocking went on and on. Steady and even, in perfectly spaced intervals. Knock. … Knock. … Knock. It was kind of creepy.

The hair on her arms prickled. She sat up straight, trying to remember if she’d locked the door.

The knocking grew louder, more insistent.

Marie stood up with a sigh. This had better not be some stupid teenage practical joke like a flaming bag of poo. On the other hand, she thought with a shudder, flaming poo would be preferable to being raped or murdered. She flipped on the porch light and opened the door a cautious few inches, ready to say, “I’m closed for the night. No more candy.”

Standing on her doorstep was a tall, lanky man in a long dark coat. His face was angular with high, prominent cheekbones. He had deep brown, almost-black hair and slanted, almond eyes that gazed at her intently as if he knew her.

For a split second she felt she knew him too but she couldn’t place the face. “Yes? Can I help you?” She closed the door another half-inch, ready to slam it shut if he did anything weird.

“May I come in?” His voice was low and husky and sent an unexpected shiver of lust through her body. It vibrated from her belly to her crotch like tickling fingers.

“Um, no, you can’t. Do you need something? Is your car broken down? Lost a trick-or-treater or something?” She scanned his body.

He was wearing an old-fashioned, long coat at odds with his threadbare navy pants and the scuffed work boots on his feet. “No.”

“Look, I can call a wrecker, a friend or family member … the police.”

“No, thank you.” He shifted from one foot to the other as if uncertain of his balance.

Marie felt a creeping sense of déjà vu as she continued to stare at him. It wasn’t until her eyes focused on the fedora hat clutched in one hand that the light flashed on. Her eyes widened. He was wearing her scarecrow’s clothes. Why was he wearing her scarecrow’s clothes? Maybe he was a wandering vagrant, a bum who had exchanged one set of rags for another.

“Well, what do you want then?” She closed the door even farther, talking to him through a scant few inches of open space.

A puzzled frown knit his straight, dark brows, as if the answer was obvious. “I’m here for you,” he said simply.

As if on cue, the wind rose. It swept through the door and blew through Marie’s thin top, raising gooseflesh on her arms and bringing her nipples to two sharp peaks.

“You’re … here for me,” she repeated. “Oo-kay. Bu’bye now.” She shut the door quickly, blocking out the stranger and the strange wind. She turned the lock.

For a moment, she stood with her hands pressed against the solid wood, listening to the ominous silence then she spun around and dashed across the house to the window that looked out across the fields. In the moon’s pale glow, glimmering through scudding clouds, she saw the round curves of the pumpkins on the ground and the ragged silhouette of corn stalks waving in the breeze. She focused on the ‘T’ made from two boards nailed together. It was empty of the straw mannequin she had made. Her heart pounded. This guy was a loony. Who took scarecrow clothes and wore them?

She jumped as the steady, insistent knocking started up again. She went to the phone and lifted it to dial 911, but paused with only two of the digits dialed. Her finger hovered over the ‘one’ as she thought about what had happened earlier that day. Standing there in the field daydreaming, she had wished for a lover like the one in her imagination. She had looked up at the scarecrow and said “I wish you were alive” then that weird wind blew up from nowhere. If it were a movie, it would add up to magic.

“Don’t be ridiculous,” she muttered, but set down the phone. Walking slowly back to the door, she stood on her side of it and listened to the repetitive thumps for a moment. “Stop! Stop it!” she finally yelled and the knocking instantly ceased. “What do you want?”

The muffled voice on the other side of the door replied, “You.”

“Do you know how fucking creepy that sounds?” Her voice was shrill and hysterical. “Go away!”

“I can’t,” came the calm reply. “Not yet.”

“What do you mean, ‘you can’t’? Turn around and walk away. Now, or I’m calling the police!”

“I’m supposed to be here. You asked for me.”

Marie was stunned. Horror and an awful excitement coursed through her. She thought about the classic story, The Monkey’s Paw with its ‘be careful what you wish for’ motif. She pictured the man’s angular face and realized who or what he looked like. After all, she had drawn the primitive image herself.

“That’s crazy,” she murmured then raised her voice and said haltingly, “What am I, uh, supposed to do with you.”

There was a long pause then that delicious, warm, rough voice answered, “Whatever you want. I am made to please you.”

Marie felt a hot blade of lust stab through her at the suggestive words. All reason and logic fled and only erotic images tumbled through her mind. Her crotch tightened and released wetly. She laughed aloud. “No, no, no, no, no. This isn’t happening. Nuh-uh.”

“Please let me in. It’s already getting late.” He sounded urgent.

Prison Break

2006-09-29T08:29:00.000-07:00

Anybody watching and loving this show? This season with the guys on the run and all the splintered storylines is even more interesting than the first. I was furious this week when I totally lost track of the fact that it was Monday and forgot to either watch or tape the show. Luckily the complete recap, blow by blow, was at the Fox website so I was able to catch up.
Usually I'd go to televisionwithoutpity.com for a recap. Theirs are always hilarious as well as informational, but it takes several days for the post to go up.

Anyway, it sounds like it was another action-packed episode. I also missed the eppy a few weeks ago when Abruzzi got killed. Sad to see Peter Stormare go ... for the second time. I liked his character almost as much as Robert Knepper's wonderfully weaselly T-bag.

Anyone else missing the weekly Michael and Dr. Sara interaction though? I loved the trumped up excuses they kept inventing to have him spend time at the med center.

Honestly, these cons are pretty inept at being on the run. They all deserve to get caught for their recklessness and seeming inability to keep away from people, especially I've-got-a-plan Michael, whose plans always are often more risky than useful. Gotta admire the writers who keep coming up with the intricate ideas every week.

Is it any wonder a show like 24 is running dry after several seasons? There's only so much stuff writers can think up without getting really outlandish.

New Orleans Trip

2006-09-13T10:20:00.000-07:00

Architecture, cuisine and gators, oh my. We saw it all in New Orleans. The French Quarter was just as fascinating as I’d hoped it would be. The fact that we had to buy umbrellas and tour in the rain much of the time, actually turned out for the best. The overcast skies kept us relatively cool. Our cemetery tour guide taught us so much about the history of the city. We walked blocks and blocks, earning the many calories we consumed at the cafés and restaurants. I would’ve loved to go on one of the evening haunted house tours or the Ann Rice vampire tour, but the things we chose to do were fun too.

By the second day it was good to get out of the city—there’s only so much looking and eating you can do. We took an airboat ride in the swamp to see the ‘gators. The captain and the guide, a tiny little thing I mentally dubbed “Gator Girl” were pure Cajun. They’d grown up on the bayou. Gator Girl tossed marshmallows to attract the alligators to the boat then messed around with them. These were little four and five foot gators, nothing too big. It was very hot in the backwaters, but then the captain would crank the engine up and we’d speed along, cooling off for a while.

That afternoon we drove around the city to give our feet a rest. We crossed the channel into the 9^th Ward to see why they’re now planning on bulldozing it. The answer is completely obvious. There’s nothing worth rebuilding there. It’s so weird to see block after block of city streets turned into a ruined ghost town.

The last day we drove out to see Oak Alley plantation. Twenty-eight live oaks line a grassy avenue up to the manor house. The view was amazing. We got a brief guided tour inside the house. It’s always surprising to me how little square footage there really is in those old houses, which appear so big on the outside. Without central air, it would have been miserable. It’s built with many doors and windows to catch the breeze, but I’m sure no air flow could cut through a muggy Louisiana summer. It’s no wonder that the first owner’s wife quickly abandoned plantation life to hang with her groovy friends in New Orleans. Clearly she never wanted to go out in the country to begin with.

After that our four day trip was over and we headed for the airport. All the photos are still on either the camera or my husband’s computer. I’ll upload some in the next few days.

Hey Writers, Do you have this problem?

2006-09-06T06:33:00.000-07:00

I seem to be repeatedly complaining about this, but does anyone else have this ongoing writing issue? I develop a more or less decent plot, knowing the general shape and that it resolves with ‘beating the bad guys’ or ‘overthrowing the evil regime’ but the closer I get to the dénouement, the more I realize that I have no real plan whatsoever. It’s hard to beat the bad guys with little more than a pipe cleaner and chutzpah!

<>
Half the fun of an adventure or suspense story is seeing the beleaguered rebel forces or the outgunned, outmatched hero/heroine find a way to succeed against all odds. But, damn, it’s hard to orchestrate that pivotal battle or escape from the clutches of Dr. Evil. Plus, at the same time, you have to think of what the hero can bring to the encounter that only he/she can do, some special gift or insight that make him/her the only person who could’ve vanquished the baddies. <>

So, yeah, once again I’ve ripped through an easy 20,000 words of a novel, got my characters on the road toward their destiny then stalled. I’ve got some ideas, but am not at all how they’re going to beat the bad guy or how much outside aide they’re going to need to accomplish it. Sigh! Why couldn’t books be composed solely of cool beginnings? Or why couldn’t we all find writing partners who’d take it up when we get stuck or wrap it up when we near the end—sort of like your dog cleaning your dinner plate when you lose interest in it.

That’s it. Just needed to rant a bit and hear from others who experience the same problem—which is probably everybody.

Wild at Heart

2006-08-10T06:35:00.000-07:00

I’ve recently discovered Patricia Gaffney’s books, not the mainstream women’s lit she writes now, although I’ll probably get around to reading those too, but her early historicals. I was thrilled when Bam pointed me toward Gaffney’s story about a man raised by wolves who must be reintroduced into society. This is so my kind of thing! The book is called “Wild at Heart” and is out of print. But I was able to find all Gaffney’s back list books at my favorite place to shop online, www.half.com.

The story is set at the turn of the century. I don’t have the book in front of me and have already forgotten the character names because I’m bad like that. But the heroine’s father is the scientist who is experimenting on the ‘wild man,’ learning whether man in his most primitive state displays things like altruism.

The daughter is not just a throw-away romance heroine. She is a widow dealing with her husband’s death. Also the whole family dynamic is intriguing as the heroine and her sibs have been raised by a father so wrapped up in his work he gives them no attention and an aunt who is completely focused on social status.

In my opinion, much more time could have been spent on the wild guy’s re-acclimation into civilization. Too early we learn that he can speak, does have dim memories of his former life (he was lost when he was eight) and before you know it, he’s a functioning person again. I’d have liked the primitive man to be more … primitive and I really didn’t care for the twist about his parentage. Why couldn’t he have simply been a regular kid lost in the wild? Why bring peerage into it? Yuck, shades of “Oliver.”

With that complaint aside, I really did love this book. I loved the period detail, especially the family’s visits to the Chicago World’s Fair. I loved wild guy’s naïve innocence and his sexy, one-pointed focus on winning over the heroine. He doesn’t waste a lot of time doing the “I’m not worthy” thing, but struggles to learn everything he can as quickly as he can to bring himself up to speed on the world and make himself a suitable match for her.

Explaining Erotic Romance to Catholic Sis

2006-08-06T12:03:00.000-07:00

Okay, this my family: opinionated and not afraid to say every single thing they think or feel. There is no holding back and no secrets and everyone loudly expresses their beliefs. Really they are great fun and are able to argue without malice.
My oldest sister and I follow an Eastern oriented religion that includes yogic meditation and we basically believe everyone will find their own path. But three of my sisters are still staunchly Catholic. I ‘came out’ to the Catholics last summer about erotic romance writing, and at our family reunion yesterdat I had a talk with the most militant of the Catholics about why I do what I do.
First I showed her some wholesome stories I’ve had printed in My Way, The Catholic Children’s Magazine and another Christian children’s publication as well as a one-act play in Plays magazine. I was going to stop there, but she kept pushing to find out more about my novel writing and next thing I knew I let her see a paperback copy of Bone Deep.
She let out a small “Whoa!” at the picture on the cover and started to leaf through it. Not wanting to blister her eyes, I told her she could only read the back blurb.
“Couldn’t you write other things?” she said. Translated: Couldn’t you write more spiritual, more important things. “There’s more to life than sex.”
I explained that I’m writing exactly what I want to write, that I enjoy the sex scenes, but my stories aren’t all about sex. I told her some of the themes I’ve explored in my books and explained that I like to delve into the psychology of the characters. “But when I come to a sex scene, it’s going to be explicit. That’s what I want to read. That’s what I want to write. In romance novels the trend is away from closing the bedroom door or fading to black.”
“Some things should be private.”
“But when you’re in my character’s head you’re going to get the whole experience of what he or she is going through and that includes an exploration of sexuality.”
Well, luckily we’re not the kind of family where the conversation devolves into ‘God doesn’t like it and you’re going to hell.’ We agreed to disagree and moved on to other topics. I didn’t even think of showing her some of the pure erotic anthologies I’ve been a part of such as, “Boss Lady.”

Still Bumming Over the End of “Carnivale”

2006-08-04T08:22:00.000-07:00

<>I bought and watched the second season and for those of you who watch this show, you already know it ends on a cliffhanger for the next season that never came. Knauf’s plot for the show would have spun out over at least four seasons. He has said that even if he was by some miracle able to get HBO to finance a movie, he couldn’t wrap up the complex tale in two short hours.

<>Being the kind of obsessive person I am (when I like something, I REALLY like it), I immediately joined the Carnivale Yahoo group and learned all sorts of interesting things I hadn’t known before. One is that HBO owns the rights to the concept so at this point, Daniel Knauf can’t do anything with the characters. There’s been talk of miniseries and, more likely, of an eventual series of novels or graphic novels so the fans can learn the rest of the tale. But for now, Carnivale is tied to HBO.

There are really hard-core fans out there who understand much more about the mythology of Knauf’s world. It’s fascinating to read their diatribes on various aspects of the line of avatars and the ‘what would have beens.’ At any rate, I’m not holding my breath for a resolution to the Carnivale story with the original actors, but am hoping that at least some day we might get books. Please God, HBO and Knauf, give us a resolution to the story!

Writing as a Karmic lesson

2006-06-30T10:52:00.000-07:00

I do not have the temperament of a long distance runner. If I ran at all, it would be as a sprinter—quick dash, finish line, end of story. The same holds true of writing. My real forte is short stories or flash fiction pieces. I love to polish and hone and choose just the right word and comma placement, finishing in a very short time.

<>
Yet I know as a reader I prefer much longer works, and my foray into making four short stories into an anthology did not fly well with readers. So, over the past several months I’ve been working on much longer novels. Let me tell you, when I see the finish line finally in sight after something like 85,000 words, I’m panting and blowing like the oldest racehorse on the track. Today is that kind of day. I can finally see my current book wrapping up. A couple more chapters should finish it and I feel almost teary with relief.

I swear I love all the characters I’ve created for this particular story and each of their story arcs was intriguing to me—about a month ago. Right now I want them all to drop dead and set me free.

<>
What was the point of this rant? Oh right. Karma.

Karma is simply the law of cause and effect. Something happens—there is a result. Usually in philosophical terms it applies to actions and reactions that take place over several lifetimes. In order to improve yourself and progress to the next spiritual level you have to learn your lessons and quit making the same mistakes and fostering the same bad habits.

<>
It was clear from the beginning of this life that PATIENCE is the virtue I’m supposed to work on. Hah! I think I’ve stumbled on the perfect career to help me with that. When you send a proposal to a publishing house, there is absolutely nothing you can do to hurry the process. And when you set yourself to write complex novel, there is nothing you can do but keep plugging away on it even after the initial rush of excitement over the project has dimmed. <>
Then there’s also the lesson about not being attached to the fruit of your actions, like those elaborate sand paintings that monks create then destroy. After sending my creation out into the world, I have to learn not to obsess over its status. The thing is gone, out of my hands. There’s nothing to do but move on to the next project. These are some seriously hard lessons for a control freak like me to learn.

<>The point? I don’t know. Just thinking aloud I guess, and coming to the conclusion that I’ve stumbled onto the perfect path for working out what is karmically necessary for me. Now, if I could only learn the lesson so I don’t have to be held back! <>
How about you? What’s your greatest flaw and how are you working to overcome it?

Just Friends

2006-06-27T06:51:00.000-07:00

Has anyone seen the movie Just Friends with Ryan Reynolds and Amy Smart? It's a comedy, fairly new to DVD, and very funny. But beyond the funny is a touching story. Yes, you've heard it before: Guy is unnattractive during high school and girl considers him just a friend. Years later when he's grown to hotness they meet again and finally sparks fly.

While I always enjoy the Ugly Duckling Makes Good story, I thought how refreshing it would be to see, read (or write) a story where the protagonist stays unattractive but earns love anyway! A kind of Beauty and the Beast scenario but without the disfigurement being marginalized into a dumb little birthmark or something. I could accept something like Mel Gibson in Man Without a Face, where half of his face was still hot Mel and the other very scarred.

Or how about a protagonist who doesn't grow out of his or her baby fat but whom the partner finds desirable anyway? I think I need to write something like this. I think a lot of people would respond on a deep emotional level to it.

Nostalgia Trip to Moonlighting

2006-06-19T08:14:00.000-07:00

I’ve spent a lot of time lately watching Moonlighting. I had to pick up Seasons 1-2 to see if the show was anything like I remembered. It actually withstood the test of time pretty well except for the clothes and hair. The quips and jokes sometimes fall really flat too, but Maddie and David’s sparks still fly. Their chemistry is undeniable.

So, I quickly zipped through season 1 (forgettable and lame) and season two (getting better) then anxiously awaited season three’s arrival in the mail. I couldn’t wait to get to “the good stuff”, the episodes with the Sam/Maddie/David triangle and the long anticipated coming together of our duo. It was still hot! Really hot! Fiery Hot! I loved it.

Enjoyed watching the extras too, all about how overbudget and antagonistic the set was. Cybill sounded like a real bitch to work with, as stick in the mud and self involved as her character on the show. But then the creator, Gordon Glenn Caron sounded like the ultimate procrastinator, often handing them pages of script throughout the day—as they were shooting! Says a lot for Bruce and Cybill’s memorization abilities.

Let’s face it, for me the show revolved around Bruce Willis’s sparkling eyes and lopsided grin. The goofy comedy, lame mysteries and only sometimes funny banter were okay, but I watched then (and now) for Bruce. Especially that half-lidded, sexy gaze he always gave Cybill/Maddie, like he wanted to eat her up. Rowr!

I’ll probably re-sell this set. It doesn’t really earn a place on my keeper shelf. But it was fun to see again and I recommend it. However, it probably works best for those of us who enjoyed the show first time around. I don’t know if younger people would be able to look past the dumb parts in order to get to the good stuff.

Rescue Me

2006-06-14T10:35:00.000-07:00

I'm loving Rescue Me. I watched it a little the first season, more the second and now I wouldn't miss a week. I'm a Dennis Leary fan and the Tommy's tortured soul really appeals to me. Actually, all the firehouse guys' stories are great and each is a fully realized character. Anyone else watching this show?

Thank God for the networks doing away with summer reruns and putting on great summer replacement shows like this!

Brokeback Mountain

2006-06-10T07:11:00.000-07:00

Argh! I was so depressed when I finished this movie I wanted to find someone and hug them. Poor Enis. Poor Jake. Poor Jen from Dawson's (sorry, I don't remember her name in the movie). It was a lose-lose situation all around.

God, I wanted to slap Enis (sp?) upside the head. At the beginning I completely sympathized with his need to stay with his young family despite his yearning for Jake. But after he'd gotten a divorce and still wouldn't take a chance on love, I just wanted to smack him. It reminded me of Sense and Sensibility, another movie in which no one would ever simply say what he/she was feeling.

Yes, I understand. Homosexuality. 1960's and 70's. Dangerous to come out. I'm not ignorant of the complexities of the situation, but I would have liked to see more character growth for Enis by the end. So, he finally realized he must make an effort to put himself out there for the people he loved (eg. telling his daughter he would forego the cattle drive or whatever to be at her wedding). That was a little growth. But what I really wanted to see was him telling her the truth about himself. Sharing his deepest secret with at least one person he loved--out loud (and preferably not mumbling for a change).

I felt robbed and depressed knowing Enis was going to live the rest of his life alone in his crappy little trailer, worshipping Jake's shirt in his closet shrine. Just thinking about it makes me sad all over again. I need to watch something happy-ending now.

Fantastic Bone Deep Review

2006-06-06T09:44:00.000-07:00

Received a great Bone Deep review . It came right when my work in progress seemed to be falling to pieces, so I really appreciated the boost.

Today the WIP is coming along much better. I can see the light at the end. The last third of a book is often the most difficult. You're tired of it, tired of the characters, tired of figuring things out and maybe having trouble weaving all those cool plot threads into a coherent finale. Maybe that's why so many books and movies fall apart by the end. Someone has a great idea, but just can't muster the follow through.

It gives me more respect for movies, shows or books I've bashed in the past. What a hellacious amount of effort it takes to create something, even something as seemingly mindless as "Dumb and Dumber" (one of my favorite movies).

I often wish I had a second shift to come in and take over writing after a while. Or maybe a pinch hitter to smack the ball out of the park when everything hangs in the balance. Guess that's what editors are for, to tell you when your story has started slipping and give recommendations for rewrites that will head you back in the right direction.

Carnivale

2006-05-25T07:13:00.000-07:00

Well, I've fallen in love again. Carnivale is the best show I've seen in a long time and worth the price for the twelve disc set. Actually, I didn't pay the almost seventy dollars, but bought it at half.com for $45.00. Always check out half.com first is my motto.

Anyway, I love the Dust Bowl setting. I love the grungy carnival atmosphere with all its quirky characters and I love our hero, Ben, a simple farm boy trying to deny his great gift. There's plenty of mystery, sex, gray areas between the good and evil and period details that really put you in the time and place. I like the fact that the 'bad guy' is almost unidentifiable as such for the first four or five episodes. His original motivations seem good and he only slowly comes to accept his 'evil nature.'

Seriously folks, check this one out. I can hardly wait for the second season to come out on DVD in July. Unfortunately there's only two seasons, but fans of the show have assured me that it doesn't leave you dangling --much. They found the wrap-up satisfying.

In other news. Check out my author interview at The Romance Studio, here: http://theromancestudio.com/blue/who10.php

If there are any Carnivale watchers out there. Please chat with me.

Taking Up Blogging

2006-05-23T09:12:00.000-07:00

During the Romantic Times Convention in Daytona this past week, a writer friend assured me that the blog is important and I should resume writing in mine. So here I am, sharing my recent experiences at RT.

It was a very fruitful time. I met so many people and learned so much at the panel discussions. I also made some invaluable industry contacts. Most of all, I had tons of fun! When I talked to my daughter on the phone she said, "You sound like you're at summer camp, mom."

It was just like that. I had never met the women I roomed with and they turned out to be delightful; fellow LSB author, Jayelle Drewry and her sister-in-law, Patty. I took a walk on the beach to watch the sun rise every morning. The evening parties with their elaborate costumes were fun, but I'm not much of a dancer or drinker so I didn't stay long at those.

Meeting readers and seeing their passion for romance novels was wonderful. Some day I hope to be like Laurell K. Hamilton with a book signing line stretching around the room. .... Actually, no. It looked exhausting and I don't think the woman took a break in five hours.
Maybe something like Mary Janice Davidson, who sat near me and had a steady but reasonable flow of readers there to meet her.

Anyway, it was a great time and I highly recommend it.

Take a sizzling SUMMER BREAK

2006-01-04T04:48:00.000-08:00

Take a sizzling SUMMER BREAK in the dead of winter with this steamy little story of best friends involved in a love triangle one hot August. Available now at Venus Press.

Blurb:
It’s the summer after high school graduation. Rich kids plan for college. Poor kids like Eric, struggle to make ends meet. While his best friend, Josh, is off at a Young Leaders convention, Eric’s passion for Josh’s girlfriend, Brianne, ignites. Their summer sizzles for an incandescent moment -- until Josh returns. Ultimately, the three must figure out if they can resolve their conflict and save their friendship before going their separate ways.

Excerpt:

Like the other night, she leaned over and before he could think, speak or refuse she kissed him.
Jesus, and he had thought it would be easier to reject her when he was sober? Wrong!
Soft and searching, Brianne’s lips moved against his.
His mouth automatically opened under them. When she pulled away, his lips were wet and aroused, vibrating with residual energy from her kiss. Eric hadn’t even realized that his eyes were closed until he opened them and looked up at her again.
Brianne’s arms were braced against the arms of the chair on either side of him, trapping him. Her dark eyes glowed as she pinned him with her gaze. “Just so you know, I’m not drunk tonight. I know exactly what I’m doing and what I want.”
And just like that Eric stopped fighting the attraction he’d felt for Brianne since the first moment he’d seen her. His brain closed down, locked thoughts of Josh out, and his body sprang into action. He slipped his arms around her waist and pulled her down to straddle his lap.
She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him with cherry tasting lips and a minty tongue. He wondered if she had used his toothbrush or her finger in the bathroom.
His tongue dipped into her mouth and explored the terrain, twining with her tongue and flicking lightly against the roof of her mouth. A satisfied ‘Mm’ purred in his throat. He pulled away from her lips and kissed her jaw then her neck, licking over her throat and tasting salt on her skin. Brianne was a smorgasbord of flavors.
“Ah.” She exhaled and drew her shoulders up. “Tickles.”
He obligingly pulled his mouth away from her neck.
“Don’t stop.” She pressed him back to her throat.
He followed the line of her neck down to her collarbones, shoulders and chest. He lapped over every bit of exposed skin his mouth encountered.
She moaned softly and her fingers dug into his shoulders like a cat kneading its pleasure with claws into flesh. She pulled away from him and quickly stripped off her blouse leaving her top half clad only in a skimpy, sheer bra, which scooped low to show off a lot of cleavage. “Okay. Go on.”
He smiled against her skin. Brianne’s bossiness was entertaining directed at him in a situation like this. He continued to caress his tongue over her chest. He traced the outline of her bra with kisses then sucked her nipples to hardness through the semi-transparent fabric. He took a moment to enjoy the sight of her dark nipples pressed against the material like a nude body seen through a fogged up shower door.
Then he took her hand in his and kissed the sensitive inner flesh of her forearm, pausing to suck at the pulse in her wrist.
Brianne audibly drew in her breath, when he lapped his tongue from her wrist over her palm. He lightly sucked each individual finger like a gourmand tasting a delicacy, rolling his tongue over the pads of her fingers.
“Holy shit,” she murmured.

New Contest for a New Year

2005-12-31T04:46:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year, all.
To usher in the new year, I'm having a contest to try to increase membership at my Yahoo group. The winner, chosen from among the next thirty people to sign up for the group, will receive a paperback copy of Best Women's Erotica 2006.
This is not a chat group, just an occasional informative newsletter, and the link is here: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/bonniedee/
Also check out my review from Mrs. Giggles at mrsgiggles.com. Bone Deep is right on her front page. And check out my re-designed web page at BonnieDee.com, only don't do it too soon because there are still some bugs being worked out.

Have a safe and fun New Year's Eve and a happy New Year's Day. Do you want to know how cheap I am? I wait until after New Year to go to Barnes and Noble and buy calendars because you can get beautiful, expensive ones for 50% off. Maybe I'm not the only one to do this. How about you guys?

2005-11-28T10:13:00.000-08:00

Check out this book at Liquid Silver Books

Basking in the glow of The End

2005-11-07T10:24:00.000-08:00

This past month was a difficult writing time for me. I had a cold then felt weak and whiny and completely blocked in my writing project The Warrior's Gift. But after putting out a call for assistance from my fellow writers at Liquid Silver Books, I was able to work out the latter half of the story to my satisfaction and put it to bed. Yay!

Now I can forge ahead on my time travel comedy, Evolving Man. This one is an easy write. Everything is flowing like honey on bread. Of course, now I've jinxed myself by saying it.

Bone Deep, the book of my heart, is finally coming out at Liquid Silver on November 14. Please check it out. This story needs many homes! I'd like to insert an image but the icon won't let me.
So for a glimpse of the beautiful cover by April Martinez and a blurb, go to my website.

Reviews for Home Bound are in

2005-10-31T10:11:00.000-08:00

I've gotten some really nice reviews for my book Home Bound.
Here they are:

The Readers Connection - ****
Review by Sarah Silversmith
This is a compelling story. Watching Ryan struggle through this story is in and of itself worth reading HOME BOUND for. It packs a lot of emotion, character building and hot sex into the pages.

Romance Reviews Today - Reviewer Jennifer Bishop
HOME BOUND is an appealing story dealing with a very serious issue. It packs quite a punch, and is a book to look for.

Just Erotic Romance Reviews - ****
Reviewer Mireya Orsini
Both main characters have flaws and vulnerabilities that make them feel real. Home Bound is one wonderful contemporary story that I enjoyed and would definitely recommend.

The Romance Studio - 5 Hearts
Reviewer Ellen
The sex scenes with Monica and Ryan are beautifully written and SO HOT. This story sheds a great deal of light on the condition of agoraphobia and people living with it in a compassionate way.

New Contest for Halloween

2005-10-21T11:42:00.000-07:00

New contest in time for Halloween!
I’m looking to swell the ranks of my Yahoo group, Bonnie Dee’s Group. Check out the Season Spirits and Hearth Fires collections at http://midnightshowcase.com. Buy a copy of Seasons Spirits, which includes my story “The Straw Man” then sign up for my Yahoo group, http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BonnieDee, and you will be entered in a drawing for my Liquid Silver Book, Home Bound. A blurb and synopsis is available at my web site http://bonniedee.com. I will draw and announce a winner next Friday, October 28.

Thanks for participating.
My group is NOT a chat group and won't clog up your mailbox. It's a periodic newsletter keeping fans up to date on my work.

The Straw Man now available

2005-10-17T05:13:00.000-07:00

The Straw Man is my short story in Seasons Spirits available now from Midnight Showcase. http://midnightshowcase.com/e-season_spirits05-05.htm

Synopsis: A lonely woman's wish to have the perfect lover for one night is granted, but she soon learns that one night isn't nearly enough. She must find a way to re-animate her dream man.

Excerpt :

Marie jumped as the steady, insistent knocking started up again. She went to the phone and lifted it to dial 911, but paused with only two of the digits dialed. Her finger hovered over the ‘one’ as she thought about what had happened earlier that day. Standing there in the field daydreaming, she had wished for a lover like the one in her imagination. She had looked up at the scarecrow and said “I wish you were alive” then that weird wind blew up from nowhere. If this was a movie, it would add up to magic.

“Don’t be ridiculous,” she muttered, but set down the phone. Walking slowly back to the door, she stood on her side of it and listened to the repetitive thumps for a moment. “Stop! Stop it!” she finally yelled and the knocking instantly ceased. “What do you want?”

The muffled voice on the other side of the door replied, “You.”

“Do you know how fucking creepy that sounds?” Her voice was shrill and hysterical. “Go away!”

“I can’t,” came the calm reply. “Not yet.”

“What do you mean, ‘you can’t’? Turn around and walk away. Now, or I’m calling the police!”

“I’m supposed to be here. You asked for me.”

Marie was stunned. Horror and an awful excitement coursed through her. She thought about the classic story, The Monkey’s Paw with its ‘be careful what you wish for’ motif. She pictured the man’s angular face and realized who, or what, he looked like. After all, she had drawn the primitive image herself.

“That’s crazy,” she murmured then raised her voice and said haltingly, “What am I, uh, supposed to … do with you.”

There was a long pause then that delicious, warm, rough voice answered, “Whatever you want.”

Marie felt a hot blade of lust stab through her at the suggestive words.

Hope you'll check out this Halloween digest of four wonderfully sexy stories.

First Review for Home Bound

2005-10-15T11:51:00.000-07:00

The Romance Readers Connection gave Home Bound four stars.
Reviewer Sarah Silversmith said:
This is a compelling story. Watching Ryan struggle through this story is in and of itself worth reading HOME BOUND for. What a great character. HOME BOUND packs a lot of emotion, character building and hot sex into the pages. Enjoy this one!

Winner of Home Bound Contest

2005-10-13T07:00:00.000-07:00

The winner of the promotional contest for Home Bound is chinas_alopecia. Congratulations. She may choose any Liquid Silver book on me. Thanks to all who participated.

My short story, The Straw Man will be appearing in the Midnight Showcase Halloween anthology Seasons Spirits sometime near the end of October. More information will be coming on that.

Other than that, I've finished a number of projects and started a new book. Actually not started. I'm resuming a book I began a while ago, a time-travel comedy called Evolving Man. It's fun and easy to write since it's a fantasy with no research involved and no period details to look up. The theme of the story is pretty simple--Men don't ever really change.

CONTEST FOR HOME BOUND

2005-10-05T04:57:00.000-07:00

Hi friends,
This is my first time running a promotional. I'll be interested to see how it goes. Here's the gimmick:
I will draw a name for a free download of any Liquid Silver book of choice. Winners chosen from among those who buy my book Home Bound and then sign up for my Yahoo group between now and next Wednesday. I will contact the winner on Thursday, October 13.

Thanks in advance for participating to make my first book promotion a success.

Who I Am

2005-10-03T05:10:00.000-07:00

My first book, Home Bound is available at Liquid Silver Books today.
In anticipation of actually having visitors to my blog, I'm putting up a short bio of me.

Senior year of high school when they gave out the ‘cutest couple’ and ‘class clown’ awards, I was voted ‘most ambitious’. Since then I asked myself, what the hell happened?

I graduated from college, married, produced three beautiful daughters and created a home for our family, worked some secretarial jobs and pursued various hobbies, but I didn’t write like I had planned. The English B.A. sat on a shelf gathering dust until 2000 when I discovered the online world of fan fiction.

I fell hard into the Buffyverse and, when that wound down, into The OC. Those who aren’t into fan fiction won’t understand what a thrill it is to read or write different adventures for your favorite characters. The best part is the chance to rectify things you don’t agree with on the show. These fics are the shoulda-coulda beens that often explore the psyche of beloved characters in great depth. Not to mention pairing couples you will never really see together on the show.

Creating fanfic was like being in a writing class. Constant practice and critique of writing partners improved me and the enthusiasm of readers boosted my confidence to the point where I finally said, “Yes, I can!”

Last December I embarked on writing a full-length novel with one of my writer friends. The book is currently in limbo at a publishing house. Since then I submitted articles to various magazines and anthologies, discovered that most of what I was writing was called ‘erotica’ and more specifically ‘erotic romance.’

Several months ago, two of my books were accepted at Liquid Silver and the first, Home Bound, is now available. (Please, go click and buy!!)

Along the way I had plenty of rejections as well as acceptances. Now I believe that I had to reach this point in my life to be able to pursue my writing dream. Any earlier and I wouldn’t have been able to take the rejections that inevitably come when you attempt to be published. So, at age forty-four, I’m finally ready to accept the mantle of ‘most ambitious’. I’m attacking my writing career with the tenacity of my Yorkshire terrier playing tug-of-war.

With the help of readers my long-held dream is actually coming to fruition. Thanks!

My website may be found at http://BonnieDee.com and PLEASE join my Yahoogroup. It is a newsletter only so you won't get inundated with mail.