Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Save the Date!


December is bound to be busy - isn't is always! I'm amazed at how much is going on this month. Don't know about you, but I won't even have time to think about being bored, much less have this incident happen to me.

I'll make sure to remind you as these dates crop up, but go ahead and mark them down in your calendar to be sure not to miss any exciting event this month! I'm not adding links today; they'll come up soon so be sure to check back. I promise I won't leave you in the dark!

December 1 - This date is open-ended, but be sure to check out TEB's Booty Box (see my side bar for the link). Here you can grab some great gifts featuring covers from some of your favourite TEB authors!

December 2 - begins Changeling Press' Win Free Books for a Year Contest

December ? - not sure of the exact date yet, but Changeling's monthly e-zine will have a FREE READ from yours truly; a deleted scene from Emmy's Wish. You don't want to miss this one. 

December 15 - Changeling Press's White Hot Christmas authors is having a party at Goddess Fish, celebrating all our new releases.

December 16 - 18 - Christmas Blog Hop! **Contest** Visit my blog to have a chance to win one copy of Emmy's Wish!

December 17 - White Hot Christmas: Emmy's Wish, is for sale!

December 18 - Christmas Party at The Romance Studio

December 19 - my birthday: I'm perpetually 28!

December 22 - I'm blogging at Hitting the Hot Spot

December 25 - Christmas Day. Spend time with family and friends and share the love and warmth of the season!

December 27 - I'm hosting a chat at Coffee Times and Romance from 9 - 10:30 PM EST. Join me as I talk about the highs and lows of Christmas Wishes come true (or not). **Contest** Winners choice of one copy from my back-list.

December 31 - New Year's Eve Party at Changeling Press

...and...I'm looking over my calendar and I know I've left events out. Darn it, I hate when this happens. SOO much going on. Love it! I will definitely update as new events crop up. 

Stay warm, stay sane, and when the season gets to be too much...hide in a corner and READ!! :D

Monday, November 28, 2011

Yes, I'm trolling for Votes!


Never thought I'd do this, but yes, I do want your vote. :D
Every month the lovely and talented D. Renee Bagby holds a contest for the Best First Chapter and Best Cover of all the first chapters of books she's posted the previous month.

In October, the first chapter for Malathix Soul: Jagged had it's debut and this is now on the very honored list of nominees for the coveted title of Best First Chapter for the month of October.

It's not too late to cast your vote...CLICK HERE now to vote. Covers come first and the chapters come below. If you want to read the selections, just peruse the October entries.

Don't be shy. If you're still not sure, below are the URL's and the list of contestants.

Oh, and trust me, it's well worth the click to go there. Have a pen and paper as well because not only will you make (someone's) day happy with your vote, you'll have the opportunity to read the beginnings of some great stories you know you'll have to have!

P.S. and in case you forgot - my book's title is Jagged. *grins*

Direct URL's to the two places you may vote (both links to the same poll)

Vote on the blog:
http://dreneebagbypresentsfirstchapters.blogspot.com/

Or vote on the poll:
http://2707165.polldaddy.com/s/best-of-oct-2011

Titles:
Whiteout by Shelby Morgen
Dona Nobis Pacem by Willa Okati
Bound and Determined by Belladonna Bordeaux
Thale by Jessica Coulter Smith
Day of the Dead by Adera Orfanelli
Silence by Lena Austin
Jungle Fire by Sarah Mäkelä
Grande by Cynthia Sax
Risk Assessment by Dany Sirene
Dark Side (Collection)
Cardboard Hero (with Wild Geese) by Shelby Morgen
Way of the Wolf by Shelby Morgen
Bad Hare Day by Camille Anthony
Jagged by Ayla Ruse
Mara's Men by Faith Talbot
Fun in the Garden by Isabella Jordan
Security by Shelby Morgen
When in Rome by Kate Hill
Comanche by Marteeka Karland and Shara Azod
The Perfect Seasoning by Stephanie Burke
Paranormal Mates Society Vol. I (Collection)
Paws On Me by Silvia Violet
Imperial Haven by Anne Kane
Demon's Captive by Selena Illyria
Lost Temple by Dany Sirene

Saturday, November 26, 2011

Check out this post - Girls on Film

In skimming around the internet this afternoon, I came across a very interesting blog that I now want to share with you in hopes you'll grace her page.

CLICK HERE to go Dita's Den and her blog post today entitled Girls on film. Dita comments on the porn industry and the female perspective. As an added bonus, she gives out links to several sites who are supposed to cater to the more sensual approach of sex on film. As a disclaimer, I will state that I have not visited all these sites (yet *g*), so I personally cannot attest to the good/bad of each. 

Enjoy your Saturday, your weekend, and your viewing.

Thursday, November 24, 2011

A Day to be Thankful


For all those on "this" side of the world, Happy Thanksgiving!

A moment, please, of your time for reflection....

I've found myself at odds here and there lately about thanks. In today's economy, in our world, there is much to disparage. There is much to sit and wonder "if I had this or that," or "I don't have this or that." Lord knows I'm guilty of this. It's a struggle for most of us. Keeping a roof over our heads, gas in our cars, having enough food and decent clothes for the kids. This is especially hard when I turn my head and see other people who seem to be doing so much better.
This dangerous thinking can lead only into depression. It's easy to become mired in this downward mind-set. It is a challenge to look ahead, and not down. If you're one of those stuck in this frame, I ask for one favor today.

Simply. Be. Thankful. 

It may not be much to be thankful for, you may say, but there is always something for which to be thankful. You are alive. You are reading this post. You already have more than some. This alone is worth more thanks than this one day presents.

However you celebrate today - even if you don't - choose to have a great day today. 

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone.

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

*Extra! Extra!* New News at Total E-Bound!

Check this out!!




Now Shipping Worldwide!

Due to a new print distribution partnership, we are now able to offer shipping to anywhere in the world direct from our site.

With competitive shipping rates and fast delivery times, there is no time like the present to order your favourite print titles in time for Christmas.

We have added 21 of the most popular shipping destinations in:
  • UK and Europe
  • USA
  • Canada
  • Australia and New Zealand
  • India
  • Asia
  • South America

There is no need for you to do anything, just order your print titles from:

Select your required shipping destination and the calculator will display the shipping methods available to you.

If your required destination is not listed, don't worry, we can still ship to you! Just email us with your requirements (you will be prompted from the order page if this is the case).

To celebrate this additional feature, we are offering 10% off all of our print titles in the run up to Christmas!

HAPPY SHOPPING!

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Come by for a Smile today!


Hello this fabulous Tuesday! Life gotcha down? Wanna pick-me-up? Stop by Total E-Bound's Hitting the Hot Spot today where I give honor to the only thing we women don't have, but love to...um...have in our lives from time to time.

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

White Hot and (almost) Ready!

Woo-hoo! Check this out!! Next month I have a new release with Changeling Press. It'll be one of their annual Christmas stories and this year's series is entitled White Hot Christmas. Absolutely fun little sexy snippets perfect for the holidays! My title is Emmy's Wish and it'll be available December 17. Here's the tag line and blurb - and at the end a link to the CP site where soon you'll be able to read an excerpt!

White Hot Christmas: Emmy's Wish 
by Ayla Ruse

Will this little elf get the huge (male) present she wants?




Dear Santa,



Every year you tell all the Workshop Elves to write down one wish they’d like you to grant, as their Christmas present. Every year you bring amazement and joy to all us little elves. In fact, this is one of the perks I’ve loved about being a Workshop Elf.



During the past couple of years, though, it seems that something’s happened to disrupt our communications. I’ve not received my wish yet. I don’t know if my request isn’t getting to you, or if my wish is unclear, but this is the third year I’m making the same request:



Santa, I want a BIG, real live man as my present. The first year I left the time open-ended. Last year I asked to have him a month. This year, because having him around for a long time seems to be an issue, I’m willing to negotiate to have him only one day – preferably Christmas Day.



Thanks Santa. And if my wish can’t be granted this year, I’ll drop by sometime, because you’re going to have to spell it out for me why this wish isn’t working.



Your ever faithful worker ~ Emmy.


P.S. In case you aren’t sure what I mean, I want a BIG male with BIG, um, male parts. Bigger than our local Workshop Elves, at least.

Click here to go to Emmy's page. 

And click here to see a copy of the Cheeky Changeling - CP's monthly ezine. When you sign up, not only will you receive a mix of great information, the ezine is always packed with Encounters - Free reads from the CP authors. Hint, hint, in December's edition, you might even see a deleted scene from Emmy's Wish.  

Sunday, November 13, 2011

Belated Veterans Day Views and Commentary

Veteran's Day in my corner of the country is a big deal. I live not too far from a military base, so active and retired military are people you encounter everywhere, everyday. I myself have no intimate interactions with the military (no brothers/sisters in; no husband in), other than people I know in passing.

Most of the military I know are older. Makes sense, I suppose, since I'm older. I see the retirees, or the still active men and women who are rearing families as well as going through their military careers. They've been in awhile already. I don't often think about where and when they started - in a practical sense.

This past week opened my eyes in a new way.

Last week, the church I belong to hosted a Veteran's Day dinner which involved all the parishioners (where we naturally have a lot of retirees) as well as several bus loads of young, active duty men and women. The point of this dinner was to have the young and old share stories and interact; to recognize the current military and pay respects to those who came before. 

A great time was had by all during this very successful dinner. While my kids and I were nearing the end of our dinner, a young man in full dress uniform stopped and asked if he could eat with us. Naturally I agreed for him to join us. We all talked and were entertained by the brief stories he shared of where he came from.

However, as we talked, I noticed he looked awfully young. This bothered me a little because I'm thinking: military, guns, world assistance - and this guy looks like he could be in high school. Then I looked around - really looked around at some of the active men and women and noticed that most looked...young.  The host of the dinner even asked who was the youngest person there and he started asking for age 17!!

Now, I'm not ancient or anything, but I do have little kids and am in relative good health, so I don't often think of myself as old. 

During our conversation, the young man happened to mention he was 19. As in 19 years old! He'd just had a birthday. It struck me that I could be his mother! He explained how he was finishing school here and then he'd be deployed. He hasn't yet been in the service for a year, and he knew he was going off into places that could be dangerous, and he was okay with this.

Again, it struck me how he was so energetic, so patriotic, so full of life and a yearning to make a difference. A fresh change compared to the military I usually see.

I know he wasn't the only one, either. All the young active duty men and women there mirrored his desires. 

I realized that night, in living so close to all things military, I've taken everything about the military for granted. Whoa. Yeah, I have. I suppose this happens, when one is exposed to something everyday, one becomes desensitized.

Now, my thanks may be belated in relationship to the actual holiday, but that is because I wrestled with my views and how and if I wanted to share this story. 

It is heartfelt thanks I send to all those in the military - active or not - because our country stands for something, and these bright, young men and women embrace this truth and do their best to carry it forward for the whole world to see. 

Thank you. With everything in me, thank you. 

Saturday, November 12, 2011

Add *ME* to your Wish List!

Okay, not me-me, per se - but my books! How awesome is this!

Go RIGHT NOW to All Romance e-Books and click on any one of my books up for sale on their site, add it to your wish list, then shop away! Or you could buy one and put one on your wish list.  Every day ARe will choose a winner and this winner will get their Wish List granted - for free! I copied the details below to make sure all the bases are covered. Oh, and if you want to find out more about my books (as in excerpts or reviews), just look to the right of your screen. Each of my books has its own page for more info.

Here's to Happy Wishing!!

Click here - my books page at ARe                 Click here - ARe home page

Buy or Wish List - seems you can't loose either way! What a great way to stock up for the upcoming Holidays. You know you'll deserve a break after cooking your feast. Indulge, indulge, indulge!
 
How do you win?
  1. Log into your account at All Romance/Omnilit, browse titles, and add books you would like to have to your wish list by clicking on the "Add to wish list" button on the book detail page.
  2. Shop like you normally do and check out. Each time you shop, you receive an entry for the next days contest.
  3. The contest will run for 21 days, so we will have 21 winners. Winners will be awarded all of the titles in their wish list (up to a value of $100.00).
The Fine Print: This contest will run from November 1, 2011 - November 21, 2011. Each day's contest will close at midnight US/Central on that date. Entries received after that time will roll over to the next contest for the duration of the contest. You must be 18 years of age to enter. Employees of All Romance eBooks, LLC are not eligible to enter. NO PURCHASE IS NECESSARY. The winner will be chosen at random daily and notified via email. The daily prize of free eBook downloads will value up to $100.00. Prizes are being furnished by All Romance eBooks, LLC, DBA All Romance and OmniLit. 334 East Lake Road, Ste 286, Palm Harbor, Florida 34685-2427.