Not enough time in the day

Read an Ebook Week

2012-03-03T23:56:00.002-08:00

Free copy of Follow Me: Poetry from the Heart and Soul

Welcome back to Not Enough Time in the Day! March 4-10th is a special time on Smashwords. Several authors will be participating in Read an Ebook Week by offering their ebooks anywhere from 25-100% off. I'm doing the same. For that one week, you can get my book of poetry FREE! All you have to do is click on the above link to take you to my Smashwords page. Click on the book and at check out, use the coupon code RE100. You can choose whatever ebook version you need for your reader and within minutes you can enjoy the 44 poems I put together for the book.

If you are not into electronic books, then you can still get the print version on Amazon.com or Createspace.com. The cover is a little different, but all the poems are there. I hope you enjoy them and please let me know what you think!

Blessed be,

Tammy

Another Day in the life of Dr. Tammy

2012-02-04T21:12:00.000-08:00

Ever have one of those days where no matter what you do, or what you say you just can't seem to make a difference? Today was one of those days for me and a few of my fellow veterinary colleagues. Each patient chart that turns up in the rack is a potential puzzle to be solved. Sometimes we try to come up with ideas of what could be ailing the pet before we go in, just to see if our intuition is on target...or way off depending on what kind of information the pet owner is willing to divulge to our staff before we get in there.

It can be like pulling teeth getting an accurate history. I've had clients refuse to give any details about what is up with their furry companion until I get in there, and still they keep quiet, thinking that just by laying my hands on the animal I will miraculously know what is making "Fluffy" not want to eat for the last week. Starting with the usual questions about what foods they animal is being fed and it's "potty" habits can be the most challenging.

"I don't know the name of the food, Doc. It's the one in the yellow bag."

"I got four cats, how am I supposed to know who pissed or shit in the box?"

"What does his food have to do with why Ranger is itching and keeping me up all night?"

"Flea control? Naw, I never saw a flea on him so it ain't flea allergy."

Wanna make a bet?

Today I had one woman say to me that she knew the reason her cat was so ill was because she switched his food over to a raw food diet. That was over five days ago and he sill wouldn't eat ANY food. I told her that the diet switch may have been the final trigger that set the anorexia off, but probably not the cause. Do you know what she said to me? "Well, you're just guessing now. You have no proof of that."

I stared at her for a half a beat and then let her have my sweetest smile. "You are the one guessing here. It's time we do some blood work and figure out what the heck is wrong with Angus instead of guessing until we are both blue in the face."

"Well, I don't see the point in spending a lot of money to find out what's wrong if there's a chance the tests will come out normal."

I had to really restrain myself from rolling my eyes. "Well, you are obviously worried about Angus, otherwise you wouldn't have returned here three times for us to check him out. I think it's time you take our recommendation and see if we can at least find out what's NOT making him sick."

"If it turns out to be the food that's making him sick, do I have to still pay for the tests?"

"Yes. The costs are for running the tests and interpreting the results. If we don't do some sort of testing, we will keep guessing and throwing treatments at him that may or may not work one bit."

"Can't you just tell me what's wrong by looking at him? Are you a newly graduated doctor? Why can't you just tell me right off what's wrong? My old vet who retired ten years ago could do that. I never had to pay for these expensive tests."

Now I am really biting my tongue and hoping that the blood from the wound doesn't seep out onto my lips. "I graduated almost 20 years ago now, Mrs. Green. We can get into why properly diagnosing pets often needs more than just the physical exam, or we can do the testing you came in for today. You agreed to come back if Angus didn't respond to the fluids so that we could do these tests."

"You vets just want all of my money. I've had cats all of my life and I never had to do this stuff before."

""Angus is nearly 17 years old now and there are a lot of things that could be going wrong with his kidneys, liver, or other organs. He could have a cancer somewhere that we can't feel on exam yet, or the start of diabetes or hyperthyroid disease. The only way to know is to do the blood tests."

"Well, I just don't want to spend any more money on him. The treatments you all gave him didn't work. He's sick again. Why won't he eat?"

We stare at each other a few more moments. This woman brought her cat into the hospital THREE times now and has refused to do anything for him other than subcutaneous fluids. She was told repeatedly that this was just to help with his dehydration and wouldn't tell us anything about his condition at all. "What do you want from me, Mrs. Green?"

"I want you to fix my cat. Tell me what food to feed him so that he will eat again. Tell me what is wrong with my cat."

"We have to do these tests to figure out what is going on so we can treat him properly."

"I don't think the tests will tell us anything."

"Why did you come back today, Mrs. Green?"

"I want you to tell me what is wrong with my cat and fix him."

"I'm trying to do that but we need the tests so we can do this the right way."

"Why can't you just look at him and the notes from the other doctors and figure it out that way? I know I'm right and it's because I changed his food."

At this point, I basically want to pull my hair out. Angus has lost another pound in the last week. That's over 10% of his body weight gone in less than 7 days. This is not good and until we figure out what is going on, he could continue to go downhill. I changed tactics a bit. "I know you love Angus and want what is best for him. I wouldn't recommend these tests if I didn't think it was the first steps we need to take in order to help him."

She bit her lip a few times. "Well, if you think the tests would help find out what is going on, then let's do them. If I would've known they were so important to his health' I would have done them sooner. You know, it's not a matter of the money. I will do whatever I need to do to help him. I just don't want to do any unnecessary tests if he can be fixed with just a shot."

Oy! Does anyone else feel like they are in the middle of an Abbott and Costello movie?

Another turning point in my life

2012-01-28T18:04:00.000-08:00

It's been a bit since I've written for this blog and I'm sure it's feeling a bit neglected. Saying I've been a busy has been an understatement, but still that is no excuse. I started up both of my blogs as a way to express myself and to get my name out there. As a writer, name recognition is extremely important, but at the same time it feels a bit strange to toot my own horn all of the time. I'm going to have to get over that and fast. If I keep staying in the shadows and lurking, I just might miss out on a few opportunities of a lifetime.

As many of you already know, I've always been writing in one form of another. My poetry has been my lifeline over the last two years and I think I've grown as a writer because of it. Many of my poems were the inspiration for the novels in two of my current series. The Vixen, the Witch and the Daemon has spawned a whole new world and an entire series that I will call Songs of Fate. Creating that world is taking a lot of time, not to mention a lot of notebooks! I have to remember that I can't whip out a book a month with this story line or any other. I work full time as a veterinarian still and have other responsibilities such as my shop on Etsy.com. Reading about how many other authors seem to be about to crank out their work at the speed of light, sometimes makes me feel inadequate. Well, maybe that's not the right word. I feel like I'm not committing myself completely to my craft and that makes me very sad and sometimes makes me go through a sort of writer's block. As you can see, being blocked, makes the sadness even worse.

I've thought long and hard about this. I gave 19 years to a wonderful career as a veterinarian and in the process put everything else on hold. It's time I take control again and find the balance so that I can devote more time to my writing and build a fan base. I'm in a place in my life now, that I am able to do this because of my Muse/boyfriend. He makes it all possible for me to be able to not stress the small stuff...and some of the big stuff...and just write. He's my biggest fan and without him in my corner, I know I would still be holding myself back with the phrase "some day I will be able to write full time." Well, that some day is going to be a lot sooner than I ever thought possible.

Don't get me wrong, I am proud to be a veterinarian and on most days I can say I really love my job, but the passion I had for it is no longer there. Early in my career, the world was so new and the opportunities open to me so vast that each day was an adventure. It's still enjoyable, but now more routine and yes, predictable. Now my allergies are getting worse. I have to take diphenhydramine (benedryl) daily in order to walk into our hospital. We have a lot of rabbit and rodent patients and unfortunately they are the cause of my discomfort. I don't see them, but their dander and hair is still present and it's what I am allergic to. All of that is airborne and I can't escape it when I am at work. The last two months has been rather miserable with rashes and itchy skin. I may have to switch antihistamines to get some relief, but in the end the best course of action is to remove myself from the source.

Within the next six months to a year, I will be cutting my days back at the veterinary hospital. It's both sad and exciting to me at the same time. Saying goodbye to what has been a huge part of my life for such a long time hurts like hell. But if I don't do this, I will continue to say "some day" and put off the other things I wish to pursue in my life with my Mo Anam Cara, my Muse. He's opened a whole new world for me that I always knew existed, but was afraid to give it a go. Now I can. With him by my side, I can finally be me again.

Today I ordered print copies of my book of poetry and For the Love of Quinn. Within the next week I will have actual print copies of my work in my hands. I guess at that moment I will finally allow myself to acknowledge that I am a published author and people are reading my work...even on iTunes! LOL! Now to get back to work on my next masterpiece!

The Honor and Privilege of Caring for a Pet

2012-01-13T20:32:00.000-08:00

Here we are once again in the world of my day job as a small animal veterinarian. After nearly 19 years of taking care of my furry four-legged patients, I can honestly say I have seen just about everything. Does that mean I am not still surprised or shocked by the behavior of some "pet guardians?" Far from it! I don't think there is a day that goes by that I'm not bewildered by someone's lack of knowledge when it comes to the medical care their pet needs, but what has to get under my skin more often than not, is the willingness for some to believe any advice given to them by anyone who is not a veterinarian. You should hear the reasons that come up to defend why these people haven't brought their pet in for a routine check up before the animal becomes deathly ill.

I've heard it all.

"My breeder told me not to get any vaccinations until Spot was six months old." Vaccinations start around 8 weeks of age and are given every month until they are 4-41/2 months old. This schedule is done in order to get past the mother's antibodies that could still be circulating in their system. There is no set time that these antibodies can still be present, but usually by the time they are 4 months old, they are gone. At that point, that last booster will be able to protect the pet for a year. Only one booster is not enough for most of them. These vaccines need at least a series of two in order to boost the immune system properly. Waiting until six months old is just putting your pet at risk for coming in contact with a disease they cannot fight off.

"You took an oath. You have to take care of my pet at no charge." I did take an oath and here is what I pledged.

"Being admitted to the profession of veterinary medicine,

I solemnly swear to use my scientific knowledge and skills

for the benefit of society

through the protection of animal health,

the relief of animal suffering,

the conservation of livestock resources,

the promotion of public health

and the advancement of medical knowledge.

I will practice my profession conscientiously, with dignity

and in keeping with the principles of veterinary medical ethics.

I accept as a lifelong obligation the continual improvement

of my professional knowledge and competence."

No where in there does it say I have to give away my services for free. Yes, there are circumstances where I do euthanize an animal who is in a lot of pain whether or not the owner has the money to pay for it. The bottom line is that it's the pet owner's responsibility to do the best they can to take care of their pet's needs. Sometimes we are able to do some services at a greatly reduced rate due to the generosity of other clients and community programs. Unfortunately, these funds do run out quickly and have strict rules about how the money gets distributed.

"All you vets care about is money."
So not true! We got into this profession because we love animals and want to help keep them happy and healthy. All we have is our knowledge. That office call/exam charge covers the physical exam, discussion of our findings and our recommendations as well as answering any questions you may have. For new puppies and kittens, this first exam can be a long one especially for new pet owners. We want to make the experience of owning and caring for a pet enjoyable for the whole family.

We call owners back with results of their pet's blood work usually the following day. How many of you can say the same for your own physician? Not only do we put in 10-12 hour days at least 4 days a week seeing patients, we perform surgery, review blood work, review x-rays, perform in house testing such as cytology of ear swabs to diagnose infection, skin scrapings to look for mites. We council our clients through all stages of their pet's lives from females giving birth to their first litters, to helping the children understand the loss of their 'best friend" to cancer. Physicians do some of that during their day, but not all of it. I would like to see them do all of it and with more than one species! Oh, for less than 1/4 the salary to boot!

"I can't afford to vaccinate this new puppy. I spent my rent money to get her in the first place. When she starts having pups then I'll get her the shots."
If you don't vaccinate her when she is a puppy, she will be at risk of catching life threatening diseases. If she is lucky enough to make it to breeding age without vaccines, then her pups will not be protected when they are born. So if they are exposed to parvo for example, not only could you lose the entire litter, you could lose the breeding dog you got in the first place. No dog. No pups. No money.

"Yeah, three days ago after I saw my dogs eating the D-con I called that poison control hotline. They told me to bring them in right away to a vet, but I didn't do it. They seemed fine then, but now they are really weak and don't look so good."
This actually happened not too long ago. This case broke our hearts. If the owner would have taken the advice right in the beginning, we could have saved both of his dogs. Instead, the poison worked it's way into their systems, interfered with their body's ability to clot and both young dogs were bleeding to death. The owner brought them in too late.

"What do you mean, my dog has diabetes? That's a human disease!"
Animals can get diabetes, epilepsy, cancers of all kinds, autoimmune diseases, allergies, allergic reactions, poisoned by foods and medications that are technically safe for humans, severe arthritis, cognitive disorder (similar to Alzheimer's disease), liver failure, kidney failure and heart failure. That's just the short list!

"Can't you just call up Hawaii and put a rush on the paperwork? I am moving next week and want to take my dog with me and don't have the time to go through all the testing they require."
Sorry, no we can't. Other countries around the world make up their own rules for entry. Hawaii does the same. These areas are considered free of Rabies and they want to keep it that way. No amount of begging on anyone's part is going to change their rules. If you want to travel to Hawaii, or out of the United States in general, do your research! Call the embassy of the country in question and ask them their latest regulations. DO NOT go by what the airlines tell you! They haven't got a clue what the countries require and could care less if your pet is rejected at the borders.

Yes folks, people actually say things like that to me and other veterinarians. It gets worse. There are breeders out there that put in their contracts to not trust veterinarians because we "just want to give them vaccines they don't need. Everyone knows that there hasn't been a case of distemper in years." Oh really? Don't know what rock these people live under, but diseases like distemper and parvo are still around, very contagious, and deadly.

"Dogs in the wild eat bones so it's just fine to give raw or cooked bones to your pets at anytime."
No, it's not. Most dogs do not chew these up properly at all and pieces become stuck trying to pass. These are medical emergencies!

It's not cheap to treat these very ill animals. You can't "just give them a shot" and make it all better. They need fluids, antibiotics, anti-nausea medications, sometimes blood or plasma transfusions in the case of some poisons, dialysis as in the case of antifreeze ingestion, and even surgery to remove pieces of bones that have become lodged in the intestines. We don't think of these things when looking at that cute puppy or kitten up for adoption, but maybe we should.

That free kitten you got outside of the grocery store is adorable, but now you have another 12-18 years to care for it. First there are vaccinations, dewormings, flea control, heartworm prevention and neutering all by the time the animal is six months old. There are annual exams and some vaccinations, food, bedding, litter and litter boxes, and grooming if the cat has long hair. If you live in a small studio apartment, one kitten/cat is fine, but don't try to squeeze in 3 or more. You need to provide them with one litter box per cat plus one additional one in order to keep the peace even if you allow your cats to go outdoors. If you don't, you will create a situation where the cats are crowded, stressed and urinating all over the place to show their displeasure besides the inevitable fights between them, or god forbid them attacking you.

Your veterinarian wants you and your pets to have long and healthy lives together. They want to work with you to accomplish this. It's not one size fits all. You need to find a veterinarian you feel comfortable with and who you feel will help you offer the best care for your furry friend. Get out and interview veterinarians to find the best fit for you. Tour the hospitals and clinics in your area. Find out where the emergency clinics are if the local veterinarians do not have emergency hours. If you invest the time and effort, you will have a veterinarian and nursing staff that you can trust.

Special price for my book of poetry

2012-01-07T18:18:00.000-08:00

Hello my friends!

I'm excited to announce that the Smashwords edition of my book of poetry will be offered at 37% discount through January 14th. All you have to do is enter the following coupon code and you get Follow Me: Poetry from the Heart and Soul for just $2.50.

Here is the link https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/118909

And here is your coupon code! Feel free to share it with your friends and family, but remember it's only good until January 14th.

JB53Y

Another exciting announcement: Smashwords informed me today that my poetry book will be sent out to their premium catalog markets. These include Barnes and Noble, Apple, Sony and hopefully Amazon. They are working some digital details out with Amazon so that one may take a bit to have this book,. but I may just decide to put out a true Kindle version through Amazon itself. Until then, if you have a Kindle, you can get the kindle version straight from the Smashwords webpage at the link above.

I hope you all enjoy my poetry. Please let me know what you think!

Blessed be

Tammy

Here's the trailer too!

Looking back on 2011

2012-01-01T22:49:00.000-08:00

Washington State coastline

Here it is once again. Another January 1st nearly over and it doesn't seem like a day that stands out. It feels just like any other all things considered. The last week has been a bit of a whirlwind. My love Liam and I traveled to Oak Harbor, Washington for his grandmother's funeral. I couldn't let him go alone and I am so grateful to my coworkers for juggling the schedule a bit so that I could drive up there with him. It's an 18 hour drive in good weather. You know since I mentioned the weather there had to be some problem, but we only had a bit of rain and high winds slow us a little bit.

I was a bit nervous going up to basically meet a lot of his relatives for the very first time. All of that faded away when we entered the church for the viewing and sharing of stories about their family matriarch. I was immediately taken aback by how much Liam's family was like my own. Both are large clans full of life, love and laughter even in a time of sorrow. Yes, they missed their loved one dearly, but they were not there to be sad, but to celebrate her life. That is what my family has always done as well. I felt like I had always been in that family and had known their grandmother my whole life because of the love that shined through from each and every one of them. This amazing woman had six children, over 20 grandchildren and over 40 great grand children. Two are still on the way! Their family continues to be blessed and I for one am so lucky to have been included in their celebration.

At the gatherings after the viewing and again after the funeral, the conversation, laughter and smiles continued full force...and loudly! I loved every single moment of it! The conversations all going on at the same time and people actually able to follow them all was again nostalgic for me. I am the oldest of six children. My mother is one of six as well. So picture all of us together, all the children, grandchildren and great grandchildren in one house. Food, drink and nonstop conversations, discussions, laughter and yes a few tears from a few of the small ones colliding into each other after a bit too much play. THIS is family to me. THIS overwhelming wonderful group of people who you may not see very much of over the years, but when they are needed, will rally around and be your rock and support when you need it the most.

Being 2500 miles away from my clan has been very hard for me over the last 10 years. Sure, I made the trip home a few times and each time I was rejuvenated and could make it a bit more on my own. Now having shared this with Liam and his family, I feel whole again. I know that may sound a bit strange to some of you reading this, but being in the middle of all of the family "chaos" gave me peace. It also helped me make up my mind that I will make sure I visit my family in Michigan at least once a year and maybe some day in the future Liam can make the trip with me and meet my nutty, fiercely loyal and loving family too.

May the New Year bring each and every one of you laughter, smiles, hope and peace. May you find your inner Beacon and let it shine for all the world to see. May the next phase of your journey through life bring you closer to your heart's desire...and maybe even help you achieve it!

Blessed be...
Tammy

My first book of poetry is now available!

2011-12-31T23:58:00.000-08:00

I'm thrilled to announce that my very first book of poetry is now published on Smashwords! It's available in just about every ebook format, so come on over and get your copy today. It's only $3.99.

Christmas with Guest Author Lorelei Confer

2011-12-21T00:02:00.000-08:00

Good morning! This is my first time on Tammy’s blog, Not Enough Time in the Day, so I’d like to introduce myself. I’m Lorelei Confer and I write primarily romantic suspense. But during the holiday season I chose to write something traditional. It’s a compilation of four short uplifting, inspiring, and sweet love Christmas stories entitled ChristmasAwakenings available at Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

I love hearing from readers so please email me at Loreleiconfer@tampabay.rr.com or visit my website at: www.loreleiconfer.com or blog at www.loreleiconfer.blogspot.com.

The Scents and Sounds of Christmas Day

“Chestnuts roasting on an open fire, Jack Frost nipping at your nose,” I sang to myself as I prepared the turkey for the large traditional Christmas Day dinner with all the trimmings. Something I had planned carefully to do this day of the year before the rest of the family stirred from their slumber. I remembered many other Christmas Days beginning the same except when it fell on a Sunday and then we would have breakfast and get dressed for church services.

I was soon overcome with the scents of roasted turkey, cinnamon candles and balsam fir. The beautifully decorated Christmas tree stood regally in the corner of the family room, its subtle scent wafting through the air. I opened the oven to baste the turkey with its own juice and got a tasteful whiff. The cinnamon candles, left over from our Christmas Eve gathering still filled the air with their aroma.

Having grown up in central Pennsylvania and now living in Florida for the last thirty years presented a whole new kind of Christmas. My husband and I went through with the traditional customs from our families except there was sunshine when you looked out the window—most of the time anyway. And there were no winter coats and galoshes to don before going out the door on our way Christmas shopping or to church. Watching the Christmas parade outside in t-shirts and shorts was a pleasure instead of standing for hours in sometimes freezing rain up north. Real candy canes (unwrapped) were not allowed on the tree anymore either, because in the winter warmth they melted and dripped onto the carpet. Something I learned the first year we lived in Florida.

I stirred together the ingredients for pumpkin pie and poured them into the pie shell. The fragrance of cinnamon, cloves and pumpkin made me rub my nose. I put the pie in the other oven right above the turkey and set the timer for forty-five minutes.

The door bell rang. My husband and I were expecting our two grown sons and families for dinner today as well as gift exchanges and we had looked forward to this family time together. Finally our guests had arrived.

Laughter rang out as we said, “Merry Christmas, come in. Make yourselves at home.” More laughter abounded when the children ran into the family room and saw the tree decorated in all its finery with presents underneath with their names on some of the packages. They could hardly wait, their excitement transferring to their parents and back to me. I could hardly wait to start opening presents. But first we needed to tell the story of Christmas and why we had so much love to give each other on this special one day of the year.

Among the laughter and chatter could be heard the melodic sounds of Christmas carols playing in the background. The fireplace was ablaze with crackling flames on this special day.

Then the gift opening began among sounds of paper ripping, bows flying through the air, ‘oohs’ and ‘awhs’ and ‘you shouldn’t have’ were words spoken often as the recipient hugged the gift to their chest. Wrapping paper was quickly tossed aside, along with any kind of clothing that may have been inside, then onto the next present. Laughter filled the air as the adults joined in the fun. The little ones played with their toys. Moms and Dads were laughing and loving. They weren’t worrying about making the mortgage payment or paying the bills. Not today.

An hour later all that was left were ten hungry people. The turkey came out of the oven, the potatoes were mashed, the noodles and gravy made and the salad tossed. Everything was served in the formal dining room with linen tablecloth and napkins, best dinnerware and silverware.

After the blessing, it was indeed a special day.

Thank you so much for sharing a little bit of your Christmas celebrations with us today, Lorelei. I'm reminded of all the get togethers my family had over the years. I hope to continue with some new traditions this year.

Merry Christmas,

Happy Yule and Winter Solstice,

Happy Chanukah,

and Happy New Year to everyone!

Six Sentence Sunday December 18, 2011

2011-12-18T00:02:00.000-08:00

This week I moved my normal Six Sentence Sunday submission over to Not Enough Time in the Day since Behind Closed Doors is still involved in the Stuff Your Stockings Christmas blog hop. I'm giving away a free copy of For the Love of Quinn over there, so if you haven't already visited stop in and leave a comment. I have a three part short story that gives you some more background on some of the characters in Quinn's story.

Back to this blog...

I was going through my poetry, getting them all organized for my upcoming book Follow Me: Poetry from the Heart and Soul. I hope to get it ready for sale through Smashwords in time for Christmas...well, at least the New Year! One poem stuck out in my mind as a perfect submission for my six. In fact, it is only six sentences! So here it is. Let me know what you think!

When I Was A Child

When I was a child I sat in the corner

And daydreamed about the the things I wished I had.

I hated boys and their rough games.

Girlfriends were sometimes very mean,

And my parents always treated me like a baby.

If anyone was looking for me,

I would escape into my dream world

And become someone else.

And here I am.

Doing the things I dreamt about,

The center of attention,

And loving it!

©Tammy Dennings 01/1993

Make sure you check out the other fabulous authors participating this week! http://sixsunday.com/

Interview with guest author Rose Anderson!

2011-12-15T00:02:00.000-08:00

Hello everyone! A good friend and fellow author Natasha Blackthorne interviewed me not too long ago and she had the most fascinating questions. They really made me think as a writer and a reader. I found I wanted to know the answers to these questions from other authors as well. Which brings us to our guest author today. I am excited to welcome to Not Enough Time in the Day, author Rose Anderson.

Rose, what types of characters appeal to you the most and why?
First off Tammy, I’d like to say thank you for having me.

Above all, I like writing well-rounded or well-appointed characters who wear masks. I suppose it was growing up with movies like Zorro, The Count of Monte Cristo, or the Scarlet Pimpernel, even Batman to some degree. We have these wealthy playboy-type men who outwardly have no substance whatsoever, are cads, or just generally disinterested in the serious events around them. But in truth, they’re driven men to fight injustices, or right wrongs. As a reader I find a character with a dual identity to be very compelling. As a writer, I love the challenge of creating what is essentially two personas within the framework of the one.

Why do they appeal to me? The thought of the reader knowing the secret before the hero or heroine does appeals to me because it makes for a very convoluted story by adding another layer of depth. The story has to move forward of course, but when you’re hiding a truth such as this, the storyline is enhanced. One of the best romance stories of this sort, in my opinion, is Kathleen Woodiwiss’ A Rose in Winter.

I have found that there is a lot of me in the characters that I write. Do you find the same?

Like me, my characters are always socially responsible. They have a great sense of right and wrong, and are compassionate. Since I appreciate wit and intelligence, they tend to be witty and smart. From this very same personality bank, I also create really crafty, really bad, bad guys. I’ll go so far as to say they become the counterpoint to all that is good about me. The few bad guys I’ve created possess evil genius along the lines of Sherlock Holmes’ nemesis Professor Moriarty. And it all comes out of my head. LOL I wonder what that means?

How are they not like you?

How they’re not like me? Well, they’re not shy and held down by immobilizing shyness like I’ve been my entire life. They play instruments I never learned, gone places I’ve never been, done things, had careers and experiences I’ve only dreamed of. And they do it with panache!

Do you find that you write stories with recurring themes? If so, why do you think you are drawn to these kind of core issues?

I’m very detail oriented so I love the challenge of making impossible concepts possible and implausible scenarios plausible. As far as core issues go, I really enjoy writing conflicts. Especially battles between good and evil or where right triumphs over wrong. To me that’s the best thing about creating literary worlds. Authors have control over weighty issues and are able to change negative situations to positive outcomes. The real world doesn’t always allow for that. Freud might say I had a god complex. <grin> It’s a heady thing though. I get frustrated by things -- environmental issues, political garbage, societal woes and ills. In my fictional worlds, I can virtually eliminate them. So I do.

Now let's switch gears a bit. As a reader, what kinds of fiction interest you?

I enjoy historical fiction and historical romance. I really love the evocative potential of history for details: sights and smells, clothing and accoutrements, mores and attitudes, language and outlooks. I especially enjoy time travel stories where the hero/heroine is thrust into these foreign scenarios and must adapt. I also enjoy mysteries.

Who are some of your favorite authors and why do you think they appeal so much to you?

All-time favorites are the ones who write in rich detail. Like I mentioned above, I’m very detail oriented. Giving me details for my mind to extrapolate with is like handing me individual paints for one of those paint by number canvases. I find the richer the detail, the better read for me, because I can fully immerse my senses in the story. Authors who’ve given me the paints with which to see their story’s world are Michael Crichton, Ken Follett, Diana Gabaldon, Kathleen Woodiwiss, JK Rowling, Sue Monk Kidd, Jane Leopold Quinn, and Alice Walker. I’ll read anything they write because I know I’m in for a cerebral treat.

Who is your favorite all time hero? Why do they resonate so well with you?

Outside the family of men in my four-year-in-the-making, yet-to-be-published, series, I’d have to say it would be one James Alexander Malcolm Mackenzie Fraser (Outlander). Jamie is by far the hero I love the most, though in a pinch I’d take Anthony Mallory (Tender Rebel), and Christopher Seton (A Rose in Winter). :) To me Jamie is the perfect hero, he’s strong and brave, kind and compassionate, sexy as all hell, and sensitive and tender like a little boy on the inside. I love that in my heroes. It makes them very real to me.

Thank you so much for sharing with us today, Rose! How can readers and fellow authors connect with you online?

I’m just about everywhere in my quest to become a known author. Here are several of my links. I’d love to hear from you.

My blog: http://calliopeswritingtablet.com/

My page at my publisher's site: Siren-Bookstrand_RoseAnderson

My book trailers: MusesWritingTablet

Yes I tweet, let's be friends! @roseanderson_ (notice the _ at the end)

And we can be friends here too! Google+ Circles (I'm not on Facebook)

You’ll also find my many small satellite blogs on various author sites. My books can be found at Amazon, Barnes&Noble, Books-a-Million and dozens of online booksellers too.

Guest Author Maya DeLeina Introduces Us to the Sexy Ambrose Heights Vampires

2011-12-13T00:00:00.000-08:00

If you are anything like me...and I know you are ;), nothing grabs your attentions faster than a hot, sexy vampire. How about an entire neighborhood filled with them? Is your mouth watering yet? Well wait no longer. Help me welcome my guest, author Maya DeLeina to Not Enough Time in the Day!

If you love paranormal romance, here is a new series that packs a sexy bite!

This Erotic Vampire Romance series follows the Matthew’s Lair as they intermingle with society, develop human-like serums, craft doctrines, connect with other vampire families and paranormal beings and search for their fated mates. They reside in the ultra-exclusive neighborhood of Ambrose Heights. Ambrose Heights sits high up on the mountain, overlooking the town of Manitou Springs, Colorado. And while the town is known for its healing spring waters, fabled underground passages and rumored lore of wizardry and witchcraft, the town’s residents find Ambrose Heights mysterious and inexplicable- they don’t quite know what to make of the gated community that seems to have appeared overnight. If only someone had done their homework. After all, the name Ambrose says it all- Immortal.

Book 1- Flesh Fantasy

Flesh Fantasy is the diary of Ambrose Height’s protector, Rhys Matthews and his human love interest, Rain.

Tonight, Rain Calisto searches for her man, and Rhys Matthews comes into focus. He is well-built and sinisterly sexy. In the same Denver nightclub, Armand Anastasio searches for his woman—Rain.
But the men are more than gorgeous.
They are vampires, and they are unmated.
A chance encounter lands Rhys and Rain together. Their attraction remains undeniably powerful and they fall prey to lust. With each passionate tryst, Rhys senses a connection that goes beyond the flesh. Unbeknownst to Rhys, Rain is a diabetic. Her insulin alters her biological makeup, disguising a revelation he isn’t quite prepared for.
Rain is Rhys's fated mate.
As they struggle with this knowledge, another bombshell is dropped. Rain’s insulin-laced tissue creates a rare vampiric blood that can fetch a hefty profit, and Armand has always known this.
Is his attraction to Rain genuine, or is he just out for her blood?
This is the diary of Rain and Rhys. Recorded here is their transformation from a flesh fantasy to eternal love

Want more? Click here for a FREE READ of Chapter 1& 2 http://mayadeleina.com/books-3/free-read-flesh-fantasy/

See the sexy vampires come to life in the Flesh Fantasy Mini Movie Trailer: http://youtu.be/h81rt5OarS4

BUY NOW

Kindle~Nook~Paperback

Book2- Veil of Seduction

Coming February 2012 in eBook and June 2012 in Paperback

This is the torrid love triangle of Ambrose Height’s leader, Steffan Matthews, his human love interest and his newborn vampire.

A newborn vampire. A powerful leader. An inconsolable woman.

The shaping of their eternity all lies within the eyes.

Steffan Matthews is the devastatingly handsome vampire leader of Ambrose Heights. He cultivates social order and invents concoctions that allow vampires to feel human once again.

But Steffan also has a devouring obsession that brings him to his knees.

Her name is Anya.

A mortal ripe for the taking, Steffan sets out to claim Anya as his mate.

But the blackness in the eyes of his newborn should’ve served as a warning.

Anya is off-limits according to the vampire creed.

It will take the strength of the kinship, the purity of love, a hint of magic and a subterranean guardian to shield Steffan against the wrath of Ryan Evans, protect him from the fate of the Nemesis and bridge a passage to his rightful destiny.

Make sure you stop in on Behind Closed Doors. Rumor has it one of those sexy vampires has hijacked my blog! Not that I'm complaining of course! I wonder what he's going to talk about....

Guest author Kellie Kamryn discusses the L word

2011-12-10T00:02:00.000-08:00

The “L” Word

So, you think the romance writer is going to talk about love, don’t you? I suppose in a way I am because I love to LAUGH. That’s right – the “L” word I’m talking about today is LAUGHTER!

The first time I recall really making someone laugh was when I was thirteen. My fellow gymnasts and I were at a dinner hosted after one of our competitions. A song came on, there was a dinner roll, I made a joke, people laughed. So, my memory has holes in it, but what I remember is one of my friends telling me I was funny. For a kid with low self-esteem that was an awesome feeling to be able to make someone laugh with what I said. Over the years, I sharpened that skill – okay at times I’m sure I was just obnoxious – but when my friends and I spent 25 hours a week in a chalky, smelly gym, sweating our asses off, flipping around the place, a sense of humor could get you through the toughest training session.

In high school, I remember being so tired that laughter was really the bright spot in my day. At lunch, my friends and I would always find ways to amuse each other. These little things are what I fondly recall – the laughter. Do I even remember what we laughed about? No. I just know we laughed.

I’m attracted to people with a sense of humor. All of my friends have a great sense of humor. My soon-to-be ex-husband could tell a joke that would make me bust a gut laughing. Even though, we couldn’t save the marriage, there are times I’ll remember just because we did share a few laughs. And in a future mate, a sense of humor is required. (As are nice eyes and a nice ass. There are other things but those 3 are what I can check out right away :P)

In the last few months, as I’ve journeyed into the world as a single mother, a sense of humor has helped me get through the times when the tears threaten to fall non-stop. Thankfully, I have friends who know how to make me laugh and I’ve learned to call them when I’m at my lowest. Laughter is good for your soul, it’s good for your health, and good for your state of mind. Life is so serious some times that we need to lighten up every now and again!

The first of my books to come out this year was Monkeys, Sex and Other Birthday Surprises. It’s a hilarious, raunchy romp about a couple who meets on-line, and then is tricked into meeting in person. I laughed while writing it, and from what readers have said so far they’ve laughed reading it. I wanted to write a piece where the couple wasn’t perfect, the circumstances were far from ideal, but they got through the mishaps with humor. I believe I succeeded, lol

In all of my books, you can see my sense of humor. In Going for Gold, Grant and Teena tease each other. In Pleasure Island, Chelsea and Jake muddle through being single again, and in my upcoming release Rebound, Claire and Justin share banter as only couples can who have been estranged and are now trying to find their way back together.

So, let me ask you something – when is the last time you laughed? Do you remember the last good belly laugh that grabbed hold and made your sides ache? If not, why not? Get your friends together for a giggle! Tell some dirty jokes! Look up a joke sight on-line. How about you comment below and share with me the last thing that made you laugh or tell me a joke. I’ve got a prize for you if you do.

And while you’re thinking about that I’ve got some lovely covers for you to look at, and then you can visit me on facebook www.facebook.com/KellieKamryn , or on twitter @KellieKamryn or at my website www.kelliekamryn.com

Thanks for letting me take over your blog for a day Tammy!

Pleasure Island: Chelsea Hunter didn't come to the resort looking for sex. Jake Davis intends to change her mind. Will they be able to turn up the heat, or will their visit to Pleasure Island leave them cold?

Going for Gold:

It was an office Christmas party filled with sexual tension. Gymnastics coach Grant Howard couldn’t keep his eyes off the newly-hired cheerleader coach. And sultry Teena Adams felt the same way, the “rah-rah-rahs” she felt were cheers of unbridled lust. From punch and cookies to sexual escapades gym apparatus, you’ll never look at Christmas parties or a trampoline the same way again. It’s winner-take-all, when lovers are Going forGold.

Monkeys,Sex and Other Birthday Surprises:

Missy Harder is reluctant to ruin a good thing and meet with her on-line lover, Sam Kentley, in person. Sam is dying to see if the connection they have is real. Humiliated in front of Sam by her brother’s pet capuchin at her surprise birthday party, she wants nothing more than to be left alone. But when Sam refuses to leave her to her misery, they both learn that humor will get you through anything, and sometimes great sex and love sneak up on you when you least expect it.

Rebound:

An award-winning choreographer must face the only man she’s ever loved then lost when they are teamed up to work together at a gymnastics camp for Olympic hopefuls.

My first article with the Seattle Examiner

2011-12-07T08:04:00.000-08:00

I'm very excited to share with everyone my very first article with the Seattle Examiner. I had such a great time doing it, that I will definitely be submitting another.

Follow the link and see how I went from writing for just myself, to being a veterinarian and finally published author! Oh and let's not forget how I found my happily ever after just like my heroine, Quinn!

http://www.examiner.com/writing-careers-in-seattle/tammy-dennigs-maggy-tells-how-she-went-from-a-poetry-writing-vet-to-a-novelist

REVEALING OUR DUAL NATURES IN OUR BOOKS

2011-12-03T00:02:00.000-08:00

Please welcome our guest today author Regan Taylor as she shares with us her belief that we are all made up of two sides: one light and one dark. Which wins out in the end depends upon a number of factors.

My most recent release, Her Eyes, evolved from my beliefs in reincarnation and soul mates and my fascination with cell memory in organ transplants and walk-ins. I also believe we have dark and light sides to our nature. We all have an angel on one shoulder and a devil on the other. We have the choice of which side of our personality to listen to. But what if the devil…or even the angel…is telling speaking and we don’t really know which one it is?

I bring those concepts together in Her Eyes and hope my readers can dispel belief that these things could really happen. As my editor and I refined the story I was also considering my cover. I am so fortunate in both my editor and my cover artist because they both “get” me and are able to immediately see the heart of a story. I wanted a cover that showed our dark and light sides and showed the battle for supremacy we can sometimes undergo with those different aspects of our personalities.

The premise of Her Eyes is a woman wakes up from a transplant to find one of her blue eyes replaced by a green one. More than a mere change in eye color Catherine begins to experience other changes. Her dark side clashes more and more strongly with her light. Skye’s cover conveys that battle. The woman on the cover is two parts of one person. The dark side has hidden depths—not merely her darkened fingernails, but her eyes show the hollowness of her life. The other side reaches out to her darker nature but we don’t know if she seeks to release or embrace it. Above a woman with a green eye and a blue eye looks out to the reader, daring he or she to choose.

If you had a second chance to be with a lost love, would you take it? Would you brave time, space and even death to be with that person? And if they looked into your eyes, would they see the truth of the soul within.

Blurb from Her Eyes

What would you do to be with the one you love? Would you die and finda a way, any way possible, back to them?

When Frank White married Catherine he took to heart the words “for better or for worse.” With Catherine he got the worst of the worse, or did he?

After Catherine attempts to murder Frank while he sleeps, much to her surprise, Frank’s dog Win lashes out at her. When Catherine wakes, something very strange has happened, so strange that even Catherine has no idea what.

Excerpt

Chapter One

An ambulance roared by, its sirens blaring disturbing the quiet that otherwise surrounded the house. The road in front of Catherine White's house went for miles, stretching from a rural section of cattle farms in Greenburg County all the way to the city. The sound of the siren quickly came and went as they rushed someone to the hospital.

Catherine stood and walked to the kitchen doorway to look into the next room to see if the sound had disturbed her husband, Frank. There he sat, morosely swilling beer, trying to pretend she wasn't home. Catherine White hadn't spoken to her husband all day.

What was the point?

They had nothing to say to each other. She heard all marriages went through this phase, where conversation drags and the couple slowly pulls away from each other. If it were only that, she would be fine with it.

The truth of it was she had never shared Frank's goals, dreams, or desires. He never understood that.

Frank wanted their marriage to work.

She wanted her freedom.

Well actually, to be more precise she had wanted out of this farce of a marriage prior to James, her lover of six months, dying in a plane crash. Why he had to go to Spain a week ago was beyond her.

Mourning him would take more energy than she cared to spend on just another man. The dumb ass shouldn't have left her. In the week since he'd died her wish to have her marriage concluded rolled over and over in her mind.

Now there was nowhere for her to go, so she stayed with her husband and wished for someone else. It was her curse. She'd built a safety net in Frank but slowly, irrevocably, that net had changed to a cage.

All that really mattered was having a man. It was the only thing of importance in her life. Not just any man, though. He had to dote on her and think she was the sun and moon. Oh yeah, and he couldn't be Frank.

Not that she expected it to take long to find a replacement lover. After all, Catherine never had to look far for male attention. Ever since that first time behind the bleachers event during a football game it had been easy to attract men who could give her the things she wanted.

So why did I go off the deep end and marry Frank?

She'd have to chalk that up to temporary insanity. Well, that and wanting to show up that unbelievably plain and utterly bland Pamela. Pammie. Ugh. How bland ole Pamela ever made the cheerleading squad was beyond Catherine. But somehow dull and boring ole Pammie made it. The bitch had gotten everything in high school: the top grades, the best scholarships, the squad. The one thing she didn't get was Frank White.

That was the one thing Catherine got.

She smacked her gum and returned to the kitchen table, putting on the last coat of nail polish. She should've had them professionally done, but her last manicurist had tossed Catherine out of the shop after she had innocently flirted with the woman's husband. Jealous, so many jealous women out there, and they made life hard for Catherine. It wasn't fair. She couldn't help being beautiful.

Splaying her wet red nails on the tabletop, she lightly blew on them. Her diamond rings sat in a neat little pile in front of her. Each was a gift from Frank, a trinket of his affection. Some affection. When each nail was dry enough, she added her jewelry, watching it sparkle in the overhead light.

I won?

Eight years later and all Frank spoke of was having children. That and maybe moving closer to his parents. She wanted none of it. And why should she? She was only twenty-five and certainly didn't need the baggage of dirty diapers or crying kids. Frank was too much baggage all by himself.

If only Frank were gone…

She would have the house, the money, and no husband. She wouldn't jump into another set of vows either. For once in her life, she would be free to do what she pleased.

If Frank were gone.

The chilling thought clung to her mind, digging in with a life of its own. She popped the gum in her mouth and thought about it. The act of murder was easy. Over the years, she had watched a dozen television shows about catching killers. There were ways to do it and not get caught. Shoot him then claiming someone had broken into their loving home wouldn't be hard. Playing the sad and devoted widow might be nice.

Catherine felt a smile spread on her face. There would be so much attention. Men and women alike would flock to her to offer their condolences. She could have her pick of men and they could sleep next to her right there in Frank's bed. She might even manage her men two at a time.

On a whim, Catherine went to the bedroom and pulled the forty-five from its box in the closet. Frank had bought it and had taught her to use it for those nights when work kept him late. He called it work. She knew that his evening work meant wining and dining different developers who might be interested in his services. There were occasions when supplies were shipped late or an interstate job ran at night instead of during the day. Let him stay late every day for all she cared.

His little construction company was hardly the glossy enterprise that her friends' husbands held. She had to admit that the hard work gave him a nice body, but one she didn't want touching hers. There wasn't a reason why, at least none she'd ever been able to put her finger on. He was tall, broad-shouldered with thick brown hair and amazing eyes and was really quite handsome. More often than not, he turned women's heads wherever he went.

Frank never noticed.

He just went about his business. Maybe if he would have gone after a few of those women, some spice, some challenge, would have been added to their marriage. But not good ole Frank.

Her mind returned to the task at hand. The pistol had a good grip, and she clutched it, enjoying the weight. It had a rich smell of oil and metal, something unique she never noticed in another object. The cold metal of the silver gray gun reminded her of ice. She supposed murder should be cold, emotionless.

She didn't feel emotionless though. Holding the gun, knowing what she was about to do was euphoric.

Catherine opened the clip and checked the bullets the way Frank had shown her. The man wasn't much good for anything, but at least he had shown her how to load and fire the gun.

There were five bullets. The thing was ready to go with a flip of the safety. She would finally get out of this marriage. How simple it would be, a pull of the trigger instead of long arguments with a lawyer presiding.

She paced to the window and peered out over the yard. Divorce could be an option, if she wanted to be poor and her infidelities brought out for all to see. Strong, silent and stoic Frank would grant her one.

He might even want out of the marriage, too, but his sense of right and wrong wouldn't permit him to make the first move.

No, a bullet to the brain would be more merciful than a long, drawn-out divorce. It would be so easy. After he was dead she would mess up the room, make it look like someone broke in and then call 911 to report an attempted robbery. There had been enough visitors to the house that the police would find other fingerprints, and if they didn't, well, her story would be the intruder wore a mask and gloves.

Catherine went to the hallway, trying to move silently. The door to the den, Frank's room, was open slightly. He'd been sleeping in the den for the last five months. She suspected that he knew about her affairs. He had to. The timing of his move to the den coincided with her meeting James. She remembered the night he came home early and looked her deeply in the eyes before asking if she still loved him. She'd told him yes. She'd lied, not to be mean, but because she didn't know what else to say.

Barely into the room, she heard him breathing low and deep, already asleep. That was life with Frank. Come home, have a beer, go to sleep.

The door swung open slowly, his damn mutt on the floor by the couch. The Shepherd looked up and bared his teeth. That dog never liked her.

I may need to take a shot at him as well.

Frank loved the stupid dog and had named him Winter, although he only called him "Win" most of the time. He'd gotten the dog five months ago, about the same time he found out about her recreational activity.

"Stupid dog," she whispered.

Maybe she shouldn't have said anything because the dog looked at her, watched her pull the gun up and aim it at Frank. For a minute her heart raced in her chest, excitement mixed with fear that he would wake and see her standing there. She didn't want him to know it was her.

Her hand trembled.

She hadn't expected that.

There was a click from the gun as she eased off the safety and started putting pressure on the trigger.

The shot would be close.

She wouldn't miss his head. She drew in a steadying breath, but before she could exhale, Win charged snarling, growling, and pain ripped through her face.

About the Author

From earliest childhood Regan was an avid reader, and upon discovering Alexander Dumas and Charles Dickens, she was hooked on books that carried the reader away to a different time and place. Preferring the quiet of her room and a good book to spending time with people, she traveled far beyond those four walls.

Where to find Regan

http://www.regantaylor.com/

http://www.mundania.com/author.php?author=Regan+Taylor

http://www.mundania.com/book.php?title=Her+Eyes

I am guest blogging today!

2011-12-02T06:57:00.000-08:00

Fellow Siren author and friend Amber Lea Easton invited me to be her guest on her Moxie Girl Musings blog. Today I share my own story of love and loss and finally finding my happily ever after. Come on over and say hello and maybe share your own happily ever after.

Guest author Jan Graham: A Woman Who Loves to Write

2011-11-30T00:02:00.000-08:00

About the Author

I live on the fringe of both Sydney and the Southern Highlands in NSW, Australia. I have enjoyed writing throughout different periods of my life, but it is only now that I have the ability to work on it in a full time capacity. I love the imagery the written word creates in one’s mind and therefore I am an avid reader as well as an author.

At the end of 2010, after many years of working in the “real” world, I finally decided to make writing my career. Finding Angel is my first novel to be published.

I am pleased that I’m finally able to give the characters that swirl around my head on a constant basis the opportunity to put themselves down on paper, and hopefully entertain others as much as they amuse me.

Jan Graham's Blog

I’m really excited about the release of my first novel, Finding Angel. I’m also grateful that Tammy has graciously allowed me to guest blog on the day of its release. For me the Thirtieth of November will now always be remembered as the day of my first book release.

I didn’t know what I’d blog about today. I know, you would think it would be the book, but that didn’t feel like the right thing to do. When I read a blog I want to know about the person blogging, thoughts, ideas and the like. The only problem is I don’t think I’m very interesting. I think the characters I write are spectacular, me…not so much.

When you write a novel and someone says “yes we’ll publish it”, emotional reactions are expected. Dancing, screaming with excitement, jumping for joy are all typical responses I guess. I do those things now. Well, I did that with my second contract. When my first contract came through, I burst into tears, reached for the phone and rang my best friend. The fact it was before the crack of dawn didn’t sink in, and consequently she thought someone had died. You know, really early morning phone call, someone crying on the other end of the phone. I’m not sure about the rest of the world but in Australia that usually equates to someone being dead, or some kind of bad news. But that’s not what I’m blogging about today, so I better get on with it.

When the time for publication gets closer, authors are asked to write a bio that can be used to accompany promotional material, and also to appear in the book. Simple request really, just tell everyone about you. I read other author’s bios. They all sound really interesting. They talked about where they lived, outside activities, family, children, writing awards and even pets…I contemplated buying a cat.

Finding Angel buy link

I do have family and friends, just none I live with. I enjoy going out, but didn’t see the relevance in telling everyone about it. Ultimately I decided I’m just a woman who loves to write. So that’s basically what my bio says, except I did fluff it out a bit. I think it’s a paragraph long now, some day it may read like a novel and fascinate people, but at the moment it’s just a woman who writes. I write about what interests me, I write the sort of book I like to read. Even though my bio may be one dimensional, my writing isn’t. I’m all for reading about down and dirty sex, erotic tales of decadence but I want more than just the naughtiness. I want a book that will engage me, make me wonder what’s coming next, not just who is. I like to write about characters motivations, what makes them tick and give them personality and life. I write characters that seem real, who have friends, interests outside of the bedroom. Ordinary people finding love despite the extraordinary circumstances they find themselves in.

If you decide to buy Finding Angel I hope you enjoy the story, the characters, the humor, the action and of course, the down and dirty sex. Oh and just ignore the bio, unless you’re a woman who loves to read, then you’ll probably understand the life of me…a woman who loves to write.

Book blurb:

Angel Wylde is a woman with a complicated existence, a damaging past, and a desire to be normal. Unfortunately, what’s normal to Angel is unconventional to the rest of us. A crime boss will kill to get an incriminating ledger from her. Detective Steve Jax also wants the ledger from Angel, but the infuriating woman has disappeared.
Christian and Daniel Shore, Steve's two best friends, don’t know about the ledger. They just want Angel. A chance meeting has them taking her home and deciding she is the only woman for them—yes, both of them. Obviously, Angel isn’t the only one with unconventional desires. So who does Angel trust? Two kinky Doms she just met, a cop she doesn’t know anything about, or a nasty crime boss? Trusting all of them may save her life, and falling in love with two Dominant brothers is the icing on the cake.

Story Excerpt from Finding Angel

Angel felt someone grab her arm and turned around to see the blonde Adonis she had just teased attached to it. As she got to the entrance of the foyer, he was still holding on to her, his arm now hooked through hers.

“Wait,” she heard him say. “Hello, I’m Christian, and I just came down to ask you to our party.”

Angel had no intention of going anywhere with him, even if he was good enough to eat. She walked a little further into the foyer, away from the downstairs crowd, and turning around, glanced up at the private club room window to see the other sexy man-God watching them. She looked back at the blond Adonis standing next to her and gasped. His eyes were the most gorgeous brown, just like milk chocolate, and she wanted to melt into them. Angel fought the urge to reach out and run her fingers through the shoulder length curls of his blonde hair.

“Christian?” she asked, watching him nod before she continued. “Thank you for the offer, but I’m going home.” Angel smiled before gently unlinking her arm from his.

“Come on.” He winked at her. “Come to my brother Daniel’s welcome home party. We’ll have fun, I promise.”

Angel sighed. He was standing so close, and even in her platform boots, she had to look up to see his dreamy eyes and perfectly formed luscious lips that begged to be kissed. Any other time she would have said yes, but not now. Everything was still too complicated to meet someone new at the moment. Angel hoped she didn’t have to get nasty if he kept insisting. He seemed nice, and she’d hate to have to get nasty and deflate his Dom ego. She glanced back up at the window to see that the dark-haired God had disappeared.

“I’m sure we would.” Angel took a step back. “But I didn’t come here to meet anyone. I just came to see friends and have a dance, which I’ve done. I apologize for doing that thing with the straw. I didn’t mean to give you the wrong idea. I get a little flirty when I drink.” Angel felt her face heat up. “I didn’t think you would come down here.”

Angel turned to walk away and was startled to hear a deep male voice that sent an erotic shiver up her spine.

“What if it’s just a no strings attached come and dance and get to know us invite,” he said.

Angel turned around to see the dark-haired God who had disappeared from the window moments before. He was nearly the same height as the blond Adonis but had short dark hair rather than the alluring curls of the other man. His shoulders were broad and firm, just the sort of thing Angel would imagine sinking her nails into as she orgasmed beneath him. She felt her heart begin to race and moisture pool between her legs. Being in such close proximity to them was intoxicating, but she knew these men were way out of her league. And she couldn’t let herself walk into something that would end up breaking her heart. Even though the sheer dominant male force they presented nearly overwhelmed her, she had the feeling that they were two really nice men. They hadn’t grabbed her boobs or used crude pickup lines on her, even after the now regrettable straw sucking incident. For a moment Angel nearly accepted, but then she suddenly remembered her genetic flaw and told herself that looks could be deceiving.

“I appreciate the offer, but I can’t accept, and if I don’t leave now, I’ll miss my train,” Angel stated politely. “I got the barman to call me a cab, and it’s probably waiting for me outside.”

“Fair enough. If you have to go, then we accept that.” Angel heard a hint of disappointment in Daniel’s voice and she got the distinct impression that it was far from what he wanted to say. If the look of lust that filled his gaze was anything to go by then letting Angel leave was the last thing he wanted to do.

“Of course we don’t have to like that you’re leaving without spending time with us.” Angel’s gaze moved back to Christian. “Sure you won’t reconsider?” his smile was more than charming.

They were losing her. Christian wanted to grab hold of her and beg her to stay, or pick her up and kidnap her back to their house. As he looked at her succulent body and felt her sweet voice swamp his senses, he had to fight the urge to get all primal and claim her as his own.

“Thank you.” Her eyes moved from one brother to the other. “It was nice meeting you both. Maybe I’ll see you again.”

Christian saw her smile before turning to walk away. He felt like he was losing something more precious than life as she walked toward the door. She suddenly turned back around, her eyes locking onto Daniel’s.

“Oh, I forgot to say something.” her eyes twinkled as she spoke “Welcome home, Daniel.”

“Wait, what’s your name?” Christian called after her as she turned away again.

“Cinderella,” she yelled back over her shoulder, laughing as she walked out the door.

How to find Jan Graham

Website: http://www.jangraham.com.au

Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/jan_graham

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/JanGrahamAuthorpage

Blog: http://jangraham.blogspot.com/

Find out more about Jan and her latest release Finding Angel on Behind Closed Doors. See you there!

From one woman who loves to write to another, thank you so much for sharing your release day with us! Congratulations!

I am guest blogging today!

2011-11-28T07:04:00.000-08:00

I'm over at Amber Lea Easton's blog Kisses, Caresses and Whispers in the Dark sharing an interview I did with one of my favorite characters from For the Love of Quinn. Anthony Mancouso is Steve's best friend and had been in love with him for years. Their friendship remains strong especially since he has made himself Quinn's gay husband. Anthony will be seen again in all the books of this series and even have his own story told.

Stop in and leave a comment on my post on Amber's blog and be entered to win another of my poems The Thunder and the Rain. Of course I will have it framed, decorated and signed for you too!

Happy Cyber Monday!

Black Friday Blog Hop: Winter Holiday Blues

2011-11-25T00:02:00.000-08:00

Welcome to Not Enough Time in the Day and the Black Friday Blog Hop. If you leave a comment, you will be entered to win a framed copy of my poem Safe Harbor. You can enter once each day this weekend and I will pick a winner on Monday 11/28/11. At the end of my post is the list of the other authors involved in this hop. Please take the time to visit their sites and leave comments to be entered to win several fantastic prizes.

Winter Holiday Blues

Solitude by Idea go /FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Many people go through the blues this time of year due to the weather or the fear of being alone. For many, the holidays are extremely sad and lonely time even when surrounded by friends and family. For the last few decades I have suffered from severe depression from the beginning of November until February. My friends and family have been there for me each time, but the depression still overwhelms me. It’s not always about making sure you are not alone in a room, but about finding some way to not be lonely in your heart.

Watching my younger brothers and sisters get married first, become parents and basically have entire lives away from our family, made me feel like an outcast. It wasn’t easy hiding those feelings. I didn’t want to bring down anyone else. Who wants to be known as the fifth wheel or the odd person at the table? My family was always really supportive of me and I remember one Christmas when my Great Aunt Mary took me aside and said it would be okay if I brought “a friend” over for the family holiday parties. I was always alone at these functions so my aunt assumed I was gay and not “out” yet. Imagine her surprise when I said, “Thanks, Aunt Mary. I’m not gay, just fat.”

nuchylee /FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Yep, I was that overweight, extremely shy, smart girl who buried herself in books and classes until I graduated with honors from veterinary school. It was much easier to hide behind those books and my weight than to admit to someone I was interested, only to have them “let me down easy.” I was good enough to be their friend, but never a lover or a wife. My heart really took a dive when I fell for a family friend. I tried to work up enough nerve to tell him one summer after I lost a hell of a lot of weight. He was always over our house for parties or just hanging around. After seeing my transformation, he told me he was proud of me for setting my mind to it. He already thought I was beautiful, but not my inner light shined for everyone to see. He was a smooth talker that one! I was head over heels in love with him and still too shy to confess.

It was our annual July 4^th pool party/barbecue. Our house and yard was filled with family and friends all day. I was in major flirt mode and it seemed to be working, but I was kidding myself. The object of my affection was interested in my cousin, and I was soon forgotten. I found out later that he knew about my crush, but adored me more as a sister. That was a bitter pill to swallow for a bit, but his friendship came to mean a lot more to me over the next few years after that party, More importantly, I came to love him as a big brother too.

His name was Paul and I can still hear his bawdy laugh and see his devilish smile. He was there when my Dad’s Marine reserve unit was activated for Desert Storm. I was in veterinary school at that time and unable to get away, but Paul was there for my family seeing Dad off at the airport, promising to watch over all of us until Dad came home.

Paul was there when Dad took me back and forth to Michigan State my first year in veterinary school. Both men wore their University of Michigan sweatshirts each time driving back to “enemy” territory, aka the Michigan State campus. Sitting between the two of them for a couple of hours trying not to be embarrassed was a chore, but one I would gladly have back again.

In the wee hours of Thanksgiving 1992, a drunk driver speeding well over 100 mph took Paul away from us. I still cry thinking of that phone call from my Mom telling me he was gone. At this point I was in my clinical rotations of my senior year in vet school and could not get home for the funeral. I didn’t get through the grief over losing him for a hell of a long time, and over the years the melancholy during the holidays was all the more raw without him.

I didn’t think that pain could get any worse until we lost Dad on Thanksgiving Day 2005. John McInerney was my stepdad in name, but Dad to me. He was there for all of the growing pains, heartaches and joys. He was there when I graduated from vet school and moved away to Detroit to work as an emergency vet. He was there when I thought I had found the man I was going to marry and decided to give up everything in Michigan to move to the unknown…California.

He was there when that all fell apart and was ready to come out to help me move back home if I needed him. Dad was there when I decided to make it a go all alone in California for just a little longer, and he didn’t make me feel like I was a failure. During that time, I met another man who I did marry. Dad was honored to give up his right to walk me down the aisle on my wedding day in order to be the one to perform our ceremony. He would joke to his coworkers that he was going to marry his daughter. That got a few tongues wagging until he told them to get their minds out of the gutter! He was performing the ceremony since the state of California allowed anyone to be an “officiant for the day” for a small fee of course!

Dad was the rock of our family, retired Marine Corps sergeant, and computer geek. He hid his pain for a bit before he had to admit that the Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma was kicking his ass. Eighteen rounds of chemo and the cancer kept growing. The doctors promised to get him to Thanksgiving and he held them to it. Only ten months passed from the time he was diagnosed until he left us, and it’s still a bit raw.

I lost myself in all of this, buried myself in my work and refused to see what was going on around me. My marriage was over before it even started but I didn’t want to end it at first. Dad married us and it seemed like it was disrespecting him to end it even though I was miserable and dying inside. I had to remember what he always told us growing up. “Do what you need to do to be happy. Don’t do what you think other want you to do. That is not your path. Follow your heart. It will never steer you wrong.”

So I did.

Now I have found quite by accident, the one my heart has been searching for all of my life, and every lifetime. He is my Muse, my life partner and the part of my heart and soul that was missing. Now the holidays are a time of joy. I’ve rediscovered my Wiccan faith and the happiness fills my life once again. The holidays are no longer a time where I am depressed and melancholy, but a time to remember those I’ve loved and lost and be thankful for the time we did have together and the lessons I’ve learned from them. It was Paul who showed me that true friendship never dies. They are always with you, encouraging you along the way. It was my Dad who encouraged me to follow all of my dreams wherever they may lead. Both men would’ve had the biggest kick out of the fact that I’m a published author of erotic romance. They would have been my biggest fans. Well, I know for a fact they are “up there” smoking a couple of Cuban cigars, sipping scotch, and smiling down on me.

Chris Sharp /FreeDigitalPhotos.net

This holiday season, take the time to remember those who have made lasting impressions on your lives whether they have left this world or are still with you. Light a candle or two for them at sunrise and allow it to burn until sunset. When you see that light burning bright, smile. Your loved ones are there with you now and forever.

This was one of Dad's favorite songs. We played it at his funeral at his request. Every time I hear it, I remember my Dad. For those of you who have read For the Love of Quinn know that this song plays an important roll in the story. Quite a bit of my own life ended up in one shape or form in Quinn's story. Curious? Read for yourself and you tell me!

Black Friday Blog Hop Participants

Chris Redding http://chrisredddingauthor.blogspot.com

W. Lynn Chantale http://wlynnchantale-decadentdecisions.blogspot.com/

Christine Ashworth http://christine-ashworth.com/

Chelle Cordero http://chellecordero.blogspot.com/2011/11/black-friday-blog-hop-2012.html
Tammy Dennings Maggy http://tammydenningsmaggy.blogspot.com/

Shelly Munro http://www.shelleymunro.com/blog

Debra Holland http://drdebraholland.com

Jane Wakely http://www.janewakely.blogspot.com/

Smokey Ziedel www.SmokyZeidel.wordpress.com

Ann Siracusa http://backmybook.com/authors/r-ann-siracusa/blog

Self proclaimed Word Nerd author Chris Redding joins us today!

2011-11-22T00:02:00.000-08:00

Chris’ desire to become a published writer began at an early age. When she received her first A on a story she wrote in fifth grade, Chris knew she wanted to be an author. However, writing romance fiction books didn’t enter the picture until later in her life. She didn’t read many romance books growing up, but after college, discovered the genre fictions of mystery and romance. Her favorite authors are Suzanne Brockmann and Lisa Gardner, both of whom she has had the pleasure of meeting.
After the birth of her second child, Chris was ready to take her writing to the next level and joined Romance Writers of America and her local RWA chapter. There she embarked on learning the real craft and business of writing.

Chris Redding lives in New Jersey with her husband, two kids, one dog and three rabbits. She graduated from Penn State with a degree in journalism. When she isn’t writing, she works part time for her local hospital teaching CPR.

I’m a word nerd. Not surprising since I am a writer. Once had a boss who would engage me in wordplay. He really thought he’d win, but he never did. So here are two words for you today.

resplendent \rih-SPLEN-duhnt\, adjective:very bright or shining; splendid

This is one of those words that I think sounds like what it means. It’s not a word I would use in my writing, but if I were writing an historical, I would probably use it more. To me it seems like an old word.

We don’t have things that are resplendent anymore. The world makes me think of Versailles or Buckingham Palace. You wouldn’t say a Yugo is resplendent. You wouldn’t even say a BMW is nor a Merecedes. It’s an old word for old fancy things.

Have you used it in your writing?

intimation \in-tuh-MAY-shuhn\, noun: an indirect or slight suggestion; hint

I often use this word. It’s one that when I do use it around non-writers they ask me what it means. Some words people can figure out in context. I guess this isn’t one of them. I’m also asked to spell it by some wiseacres. I can. I can spell lots of words.

I’ve found in dealing with men, you don’t intimate. You tell them directly. Other women will pick up hints. Men will not. After I’ve been with women for a few hours, I go home and talk that way to the men in my house. Often my husband will just ask me what I want him to do. It’s a good strategy on his part. I then get back to man-speak and we all can understand each other.

This is one of those words that sound dirty, but isn’t. Though an intimation can be for something dirty.

What was the last thing you intimated?

Chris's latest release Blonde Demolition is available now. Get your copy today!

Blonde Demolition

YOU JUST CAN'T HIDE FROM THE PAST...

Mallory Sage lives in a small, idyllic town where nothing ever happens. Just the kind of life she has always wanted. No one, not even her fellow volunteer firefighters, knows about her past life as an agent for Homeland Security.

Former partner and lover, Trey McCrane, comes back into Mallory's life. He believes they made a great team once, and that they can do so again. Besides, they don't have much choice. Paul Stanley, a twisted killer and their old nemesis, is back.

Framed for a bombing and drawn together by necessity, Mallory and Trey go on the run and must learn to trust each other again―if they hope to survive. But Mallory has been hiding another secret, one that could destroy their relationship. And time is running out.

Amazon: http://tinyurl.com/7olwvhs

Smashwords: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/104247

Books by Chris Redding

Corpse Whisperer

The Drinking Game

Confessions: Volume One

Incendiary

A View to a Kilt

Where to find Chris Redding

www.chrisreddingauthor.com

http://chrisredddingauthor.blogspot.com

www.facebook.com/chrisreddingauthor

www.twitter.com/chrisredding

Who Are You Trying to Kid?

2011-11-17T21:15:00.000-08:00

by Danillo Rizzuti/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

When I first let it be known that I was writing erotic romance, I got my fair share of comments about me writing porn. I put up with that long enough. Erotica is NOT PORN!!! I write characters who use explicit language in and out of the bedroom. I describe what my characters see, feel and taste when they are with their partner or partners. I write the way I talk and I do swear, sometimes a hell of a lot. The intent is to give let the reader experience the whole thing with the characters...as if they were one of them.
If you want "darn," "heck," "whoopy," or "shoot," you need to look elsewhere. If you want flowery language that's vague or only hints at what is going on under the sheets, then you have found the wrong author.
I'm not knocking those kind of romances. I read enough of them over the years and enjoyed them immensely, but I prefer the more explicit and graphic novels now. I enjoy how reading and writing those scenes makes me feel about myself and my love life with my Muse. I know for a fact there are more people like me out there than not. I just find it funny that people deny it.
For example, on my Goodreads profile, one woman commented on the page for For the Love of Quinn with "no thanks." No thanks? No one offered it up to her as a recommended read. She found it on a search and decided that she had to make her opinion known. Funny thing is, her profile is private. Makes me wonder if she is a closet erotica fan but doesn't want members of her family or church group to know that she is. My advice for her is to keep to her "preferred" book list and leave mine alone.
I have had people recommend books and movies to me that I didn't feel I would enjoy so I never read them or watched them. There are a few that I did and regretted it, and then there were some that were fantastic surprises.
So how about keeping an open mind when it comes to erotic romance. If it's not your cup of tea, then so be it. Just don't get on your holier than thou soap box and claim that what I write is porn or smut especially if you've never even got past the cover. You take the time to read it and then say you didn't like it, well then fine. At least you gave it a chance.
I have my adult disclaimer on both of my blogs for a reason. If anyone is searching the Web and found it by accident, you will be told do not go any further if you are not over 18. That alone should be a clue to you to leave if you are not into that or if your kids are hanging around you when you are online. Why the hell would you open the site up? The responsibility lies with you. I warned you and you chose to enter. Don't complain about my explicit photos or videos. Don't complain about my explicit book excerpts or my language. You entered at your own risk. It's all on you.

Honeymoon Lovers Piyaphon/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

That being said, for those of you who enjoy what I post here and on my other blog Behind Closed Doors, keep coming back. I'll keep posting my stuff and that of my fellow authors. We'll all get to know each other better and pick up some hot reads for our book wish lists. If you know someone who would like what we post here, send them on over. They are all welcome here!

Until next time my friends!

I am guest blogging today!

2011-11-14T23:07:00.000-08:00

Hello everyone!

Salvatore Vuono/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Join me over on author Nathasha Blackthorne's blog where she interviews me about how I got started writing and what inspires me each and every day. She gets me to talk about my career as a veterinarian and why I think it's time to move on and write full time. I had such a great time! Stop by and say hello and learn a bit more about me, For the Love of Quinn, and the ideas for my next books. I also share one of my latest poems.

Dipping A Red-painted Toe in the World of Erotic Fiction with Guest Author Carla Angela

2011-11-14T00:03:00.000-08:00

click to find out more

I’ve always been partial to romance. Jackie Collins and Mills & Boon tomes were read under the covers as a teen and I’m a sucker for a romantic comedy flick. Entering the world of erotic fiction as an author has taken it up another notch. Here are some of the things I’ve learned since joining the saucy writers’ crowd.

It’s not just the men with the same-sex fantasies (think pajama parties and pillow fights). Male/male fantasies are big news in the erotic fiction market – often written by straight women for straight women. Of course, it’s not hard to see how a Brad Pitt/George Clooney-inspired scenario could work.

Three ain’t a crowd. Ménage à trois is de rigueur in erotic fiction. But there must still be a “happily ever after” – even if it’s three heading off hand-in-hand in the sunset together.

Erotic fiction isn’t porn. Unlike porn, which often doesn’t require much of a plot (or a good musical backdrop for that matter), characters in erotic fiction must have depth, must grow and must have a real connection with the object of their affection – beyond just sex.

There are oodles of names for your private bits. Who knew? And erotic fiction writers have lively discussions about such things on email loops. It’s the most fun you can have on a computer really (aside from writing erotic fiction, of course!)

Boaz Yiftach/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Women have sex drives. Far from feigning headaches when their partners propose sex, it seems many women are healthy in this department thank you very much, as witnessed by their voracious appetite for erotic fiction. (Then again, erotic fiction could be fulfilling an unmet need if their spouse – and his love handles – no longer do it for them…)

Cowboys are eternally sexy. From the Wild West to Brokeback Mountain, anything involving chaps and cattle drives can get readers hot under the collar. Soldiers and time-travellers are also considered very, very sexy.

Of course, these are just a few observations of mine as a rookie writer. I’m sure I have much more to learn about the world of erotic fiction – and I’m eager to explore it further!

Full Exposure by Carla Angela (Siren-BookStrand, www.bookstrand.com/full-exposure) surrounds photographer Lake Silva and her new business venture—taking professional online dating photos. Slick, appealing, and sizzling hot...with Lake behind the camera lens! What Lake doesn’t count on is meeting one male client who stirs up more than just business sense in her

By day, Carla Angela is a freelance journalist in Australia and, in the inky night, an erotic fiction writer. When she’s not tapping away on her keyboard, she loves shopping, socialising, renovating, and listening to music—from 90s R&B to retro 80s. Watching telemovies and obsessing over her star sign are also guilty pleasures. More on Carla Angela can be found at http://www.bookstrand.com/carla-angela or www.carlaangela.com. She writes exclusively for Siren-BookStrand.

What if you had a do-over with the “one that got away”?

2011-11-12T00:04:00.000-08:00

Kiss Me Slowly

Haven't we all had that fantasy? What would you do if you had that chance? I had just such an experience and it didn't work out as both of us had hoped at the time, but in the end, it worked out the way it was supposed to and I got to meet my Muse and soul mate.

Today I am very happy to welcome author Amber Easton to Not Enough Time in the Day as she shares her own experience with getting the do over, and her latest release Kiss Me Slowly.

There are moments when I find myself sitting quietly with a secret smile thinking about a boy who loved me with the reckless abandonment of youth. We met at the movie theatre when I was sixteen, he tore tickets and I sold popcorn. We fell in love when we were seventeen, I sold the tickets that he tore. We had it all then--the feeling of immortality that all teenagers have, the romantic ideal of “us against the world”. Making out in back seats, sneaking in through windows, walking for hours just to spend time together...ah, those were the days.

Then I went to college and thought I needed “no strings”. I guess I had grand illusions of the kind of player I was gonna be. (Didn’t happen--I’d seen too many movies! Stupid, naive me.)

A few years ago, after going on with my life, getting married, having kids, and burying my husband, I met that first love again via Facebook. Surprisingly, our lives had moved parallel to one another--at one point, we had lived in the same neighborhood in Denver without ever meeting. His wife had also passed away. So we talked...we flirted...we even had an argument about “the break up” that happened over twenty years ago.

He still had that “take-me-to-bed-and-strip-me-naked” smile, that generous heart that I’d fallen for back in the day, but our grief for our spouses stood in our way of anything developing in the here and now.

Do you have that “first love” that sometimes creeps into your thoughts and makes you smile? Even if you’re blissfully happy now, are there moments when you’re sitting at a stoplight and an image of that “one who got away” drifts into focus and you think...what if?

In my romantic suspense novel, Grace Dupont is reunited with her first love thirteen years after their break up, but he’s in trouble and needs her genius brain to save him. Set up to take a fall for embezzling millions of dollars from the family company and with diamond smugglers aching to see him go down, they don’t have time for a leisurely trip down memory lane. Trapped in a whirlwind of conspiracy and murder, they find themselves on the run together, with time working against them and love rekindling beneath Florida Key sunshine.

An excerpt of Kiss Me Slowly:

She didn’t know if she was angry or frightened, but aiming a gun at his head felt pretty damn good. “What are you staring at? Get out of there.”

She motioned for him to exit the guest room and enter the main cabin. He looked like hell. Scratches ripped up his chest, blood darkened the once white bandage on his shoulder, soggy pajama pants were stained and ripped at the knees and his feet, and it looked as if he had walked for miles barefoot. He limped to the curving white leather sofa and fell against the cushions.

“What the hell happened to you?” she asked.

“Would you please put the gun down? You’re terrifying.” He slurred his words as he dropped his arms against the table as if they weighed a thousand pounds.

“Terrifying is my current goal. Tell me what happened.” She scrambled to lock the hatch overhead before sinking on the edge of the sofa a few feet away from him. She kept a firm hold on the gun. “Talk to me, Jon.”

His hands shook as he held them to his forehead. He looked like a shadow of the man she had encountered forty-eight hours ago. That man had owned the world and knew it. This one looked like the world was against him and knew it.

“How did you get here?” She bit her lip. She needed to get away from here.

“Someone took me from the house, dropped me on the street. I walked. Jumped the sea wall. No one is following me.” His gaze pierced into hers. “How did you know I was here?”

“I notice details, and you did a lousy job smearing your tracks.” She noticed the bulge in his waistband and realized he had a gun of his own. “What the hell is that? Take it out.”

His hands shook so violently when he laid the gun on the table that she worried he might shoot a hole in the hull.

“For God’s sake, just leave it alone,” she ordered. “I suppose you’re going to tell me you found that.”

“It’s not mine.” His eyes glazed over as he stared at the gun on the table. “It’s not mine,” he repeated.

“David said Ashley was murdered. The news thinks you may have been kidnapped. David brought it up because he thought my Jon Ryan resembled the infamous Jonathan Alexander. I swear, it’s one thing after another with you. Murder? What’s next? What can be worse than murder? Is that the house you’re talking about? Someone took you from Ashley’s?” Her own hands shook as she moved his gun further away from his trembling hands. “What happened? What have you done?”

“I don’t know.” He shook his head and stared at the gun. Defeat swirled around him like a swarm of mosquitoes.

Kiss Me Slowly, a romantic suspense novel by Amber Lea Easton, now available at http://www.bookstrand.com/kiss-me-slowly

Welcome our guest today: author Natasha Blackthorne

2011-11-08T00:04:00.000-08:00

Bio: Natasha always was a daydreamer who told herself stories of love and romance set in other times and places for her own pleasure. Eventually her story worlds became so real, they demanded to be brought out of the world of imagination and onto the page. It gives her great joy to finally share them with you. She hopes you enjoy her story world.

She is married to her own hero and they share they life with a very quirky calico cat. She is a total history nerd who loves to read. She enjoys literature, romance, psychology, and bits of everything else. She has a BA in History and she especially enjoys studying social history and biography and this is where most of her story ideas come from. She likes to know her characters from the bones outward, the air they breathed, the food they ate, the thoughts and social movements and morals that were influencing them in their times. She also enjoys reading psychology and sociology and literature and enjoys listening to music from many different genres.

Natasha joins us here today to give us some insight into the world she has created with the Carte Blanche novellas. The first is Grey's Lady and is available now. The second is due out December 26, 2011.

Grey's Lady buy link

Grey’s Lady is the story of a wealthy New York merchant prince, Grey Sexton, who falls for a poor but beautiful young seductress, Beth McConnell. Yet, for all their social and economical differences, at their most basic level, Beth and Grey are very similar. This is a story that explores how these similarities threaten to tear them apart before love can overcome the fear of being vulnerable.

Both suffered isolation and emotional neglect in childhood. The product of an adulterous affair, Beth grew up in the home of her late mother’s employer. Separated from her half-siblings and kept at an emotional distance, she felt lost and alone. At age eighteen, she was seduced and betrayed by a trusted wealthy gentleman. After this, she left her benefactress’s home, went to live with her half-siblings and help them in their struggling shop. Yet, she still feels out of place.

Grey grew up in an upper-class household, a privileged only son, heir to Sexton Shipping, one of the fledging nation’s largest mercantile fleets. Grey’s father was a stern businessman who did not understand his daydreaming, intellectually curious son. A child in this position might take solace in a closer relationship with his mother. However, Grey’s mother was chronically ill and unable to bear his childish energy. She kept to her chambers and died while he was still quite young. Later at age nineteen, Grey engaged in an emotionally scarring experience with a slightly older woman, something that is not covered in Grey’s Lady. All of these backstory issues and more are explored in more depth in the sequel, White Lace and Promises, which is scheduled for release Dec. 26, 2011.

In contrast, the focus of Grey’s Lady is on the immediate interaction between two wounded and self-protective people who feel an overpowering attraction to each other but who do not want to admit it to themselves or the other. Beth and Grey have unique insight into the experiences of each other and can offer each other understanding and sympathy that others could not. Yet past experience works against them. Both are conditioned to fear emotional exposure and to deny their own need for love. They both use sex to gain temporary, conditional intimacy while keeping their true selves distant from their lovers. Grey uses his wealth and sexual skill to keep his mistresses dependent on him and to gain their adoration and admiration.

Beth exploits her unusual silver blonde beauty to entice gentlemen into brief, purely sexual encounters. It took her a long time to get over the hurt and frustrated desire she suffered when her first lover betrayed her. She enjoys a sense of control being the one who makes the choice to seduce. She always picks handsome, wealthy gentlemen and she delights in turning the tables by leaving her lovers burning for her. It’s a way for her to maintain the illusion of power in relationships with gentlemen who are far above her in wealth and social position.

Both Beth and Grey employ rationalization to prevent these conditional relationships from growing into something deeper. Grey puts his business life up as an impregnable wall between himself and those around him. He's overly responsible. He tells himself he cannot give extensively of his time and energy because of the responsibility and demands of his position. As the owner of Sexton Shipping, too many people depend on him to make the right decisions at the right times. If he allowed himself to be too distracted by fluttering lashes and the crinkle of muslin, the whole world would come undone.

Beth cites the very real fear that her secret erotic life may be discovered. Her older brother is very protective. Because of their mother's fall into adultery, he is very sensitive about the virtue of the women in his household. He might decide to engage in an affair of honor. Additionally, her young and impressionable nieces might try to emulate her example. Her childhood benefactress might suffer disappointment and shame and feel to blame for Beth’s bad behavior as an adult. For this reason, Beth tells herself, if she limits her clandestine sexual encounters to once then her risks for discovery are greatly decreased.

For Grey and Beth, these excuses are just that, excuses. Neither of them wants a real relationship with the opposite sex. This internal struggle, between the desire for the other and the fear of exposing themselves to possible hurt, results in a powerful external struggle. Grey’s increasing sense of possessiveness for this elusive and enigmatic young woman bewilders him. He holds firm to his old patterns, determined to gain her long-term commitment as his mistress. He tries to gain control over Beth with his wealth and sexual skill. Beth is equally determined to seduce and conquer Grey. Unable to forget him after their initial encounter, her answer is to indulge her desires for Grey until she’s sated. Then she plans to leave while he still wants her.

She resolves to be the winner yet so does he. However, neither can gain supremacy over the other. Can these two wounded, self-protected people find the inner courage needed to lower their defenses long enough to let the other know they feel something more than lust? Or will their fears and need to control tear them apart?

Coming Soon: December 26, 2011

Available now!

Read the first chapter of Grey's Lady

HERE

Join Natasha over at Behind Closed Doors where she gets temptress Beth McConnell to open up and tell a bit of her story in her own words.

Who Doesn't Want a Cowboy...or two...or seven...?

2011-11-07T00:00:00.000-08:00

Come on in! Gather around the fireplace with your beverage of choice and join me in welcoming our guest author Natalie Acres.

Thank you for hosting a blog stop during The First Annual Natalie Acres Boot Scootin’ Boogie Blog Tour! I’m excited to share information about the Cowboy Boots series in celebration of my new release, Cowboy Boots and Unsettled Debts. The third book in this romantic suspense saga, Cowboy Boots and Unsettled Debts is by far the ‘hottest’ of the series.

A Siren-Bookstrand LoveXtreme title, Cowboy Boots and Unsettled Debts introduces readers to Abby Rose and her team of seven fellow operatives. With a deadly mission in front of them, Abby’s team members are forced to face regrets as they come to terms with the fact they’ve fallen in love with one of their own. Now, with Abby taking an inside position on a very dangerous mission, Abby’s men work around the clock to make sure she leaves this assignment alive!

Hold on tight!

Where to Begin...

A woman’s life is hectic. Between family and career, it’s often difficult to juggle day-to-day activities much less squeeze in something extra. As a writer, I often find myself in a crunch for time. My muse pulls one way and readers guide me in another direction altogether. Lately, I’ve discovered my muse shouldn’t have a dog in the race. When readers ask for a certain book, the excitement and energy they have for a particular series is a great source of inspiration when I finally sit down to write a new book.

Cowboy Boots and Unsettled Debts is a prime example.

Cowboy Boots and Untamed Hearts kicked off the Cowboy Boots series in April of 2009. The book captured the #1 spot at Siren-Bookstrand and went on to become the #1 bestselling erotica and western title at Amazon. A bestselling title at All Romance Ebooks and Mobipocket, Cowboy Boots and Untamed Hearts was soon followed by Cowboy Boots and Unfinished Business which was also received well by readers who supported the series.

I’m thrilled and excited about the new Cowboy Boots release, but must admit Cowboy Boots and Unfinished Business remains my favorite book in the series due to the unusual bond formed between sisters as one woman courageously faces her death while asking another woman to take care of the men she’ll soon leave behind.

The reader support for the Cowboy Boots series is one I can’t describe. Readers write and ask about continuing the series and I can promise there’s more in store. While writing Cowboy Boots and Unsettled Debts, book three, the idea for the fourth installment materialized as well. Cowboy Boots and Undesirable Characters will soon be submitted for consideration.

In the meantime, more books are in the pipeline for the Cowboy Sex series. Sex Party was my first western ménage romance. If you enjoy family sagas, come on over to the ranch and meet the Cartwell family. While you’re there, stop by and say hello to the McKay brothers, too.

The Cowboy Sex books tend to write themselves. The stories unfold quicker than I can put them down on paper. The Cowboy Boots books were a little more difficult to write. Driven by the hot romance and fast action, the characters in the Cowboy Boots books tend to ‘get carried away’ with their toys and props.
With several series to complete and numerous manuscripts stored on my desktop, there’s the ever-present daily question—Where to begin?

As readers, we ask the same question. It’s not easy locating the order in which series books were written. Today, as we celebrate the release day of Cowboy Boots and Unsettled Debts, I invite you to check out the entire series. Start with Cowboy Boots and Untamed Hearts and meet the Donovan brothers from Southwest Virginia. Then, meet the Remington men and the women they love in Cowboy Boots and Unfinished Business. As they cope with tremendous loss, they find strength and hope in the arms of a woman they never expected to love. Finally, I invite you to pick up your copy of Cowboy Boots and Unsettled Debts, on sale today at Siren-Bookstrand.

Cowboy Boots and Unsettled Debts buy link

Thank you so much for stopping in today. For more on Cowboys Boots and Unsettled Debt, head on over to Behind Closed Doors for a hot excerpt or two! ;)

Natalie Acres is the author of several best selling titles including Cowboy Boots and Untamed Hearts, Sex Party, Sex Games and Wanted by Outlaws. She writes western ménage romances, and in her spare time reads anything she can find on the historical towns of the Old West. She lives in the south with her family. For more information, visit her at www.myspace.com/natalieacres.

Guest Bloggers Wanted!

2011-11-04T22:00:00.000-07:00

Starting next week, I will be opening up both of my website/blogs for my fellow authors and some readers. This is going to be a lot of fun and I get to learn more about what makes other writers and readers tick...or what ticks them off! Coming up on November 7th is author Natalie Acres. She's doing a whirlwind blog hop over two days to celebrate the release of her latest installment in her Cowboy Boots series with Siren Bookstrand.

So stop in and see who is sitting around the fireplace sharing their insights and new releases. I'll keep the light on for ya!

Five Stars from The Romance Reviews

2011-11-04T12:34:00.000-07:00

I am so excited! Author Sam Crescent reviewed For the Love of Quinn for TRR. It was posted this morning and shocked the hell out of me when I first loaded up the page. I wasn't expecting a review. I was going in there to set up my author page and BAM! There is was! Click on the button to the right of this post to take you to the review.

Poem for a long awaited child

2011-11-01T23:42:00.000-07:00

Remember When

I remember when I first dreamt

Of the day you would arrive.

I wished and prayed our time together

Would finally be real

And not just a fantasy.

How could someone so small

Take over our entire lives?

I remember when I held you in my heart

Long before I would ever hold you in my arms,

With your wonder-filled eyes

Looking up at me.

I remember when I craved

The feel of your soft cheek

Resting against my chest.

As you lay sleeping,

The image stirs up dreams of the day

You would take your first steps,

Say your first words,

Smile for the first time,

Have your first date,

Grow up and leave

Our happy nest.

The years continued to fly by

And still I dreamed of you.

I remember when

The Goddess promised me

You would be here some day soon.

Now is the time.

Nothing will stop you now.

Ready or not, here you come,

Racing toward the finish line.

I remember when

A moment of fear passed

As suddenly as it came.

The pain is part of the journey

To bring you home to me;

Your body flushed with excitement

As you heard your name.

Ten tiny fingers.

Ten tiny toes.

Eyes wide open

So you can finally see.

I remember when our eyes met

And all doubts disappeared.

Smiles of recognition

Replace all of our tears.

“Hello, Sweet Child.”

We finally meet.

We’ve waited so long

For you to arrive.

It’s our time at last.

Our family is complete.

Tammy Dennings Maggy

11/1/2011

5pm

Pass the Kouchie with your Poochie!

2011-10-30T20:14:00.000-07:00

Wouldn't you know it, I had two more dogs strung out on weed today. I'm telling you instead of Occupy Oakland, we need to Occupy Pupland. Just say no, Sparky! It's time we take back the off leash parks and tell those foo foo French Poodles we don't want them pushing their dime bags on our poor helpless Pit Bulls! And don't get me started on those bouncy Jack Russel Terriers. They have dipped one too many times in their stashes if you know what I mean.

We can laugh about dogs getting high all we want, but it is a serious problem. Just like children, they get into everything, and I do mean EVERYTHING! Medications whether they are prescription or otherwise, need to be locked up and not stored in little plastic baggies in purses or back packs. Sure it's easy to put a couple of days worth of your meds in a ziploc and put them in your purse, but it's just as easy for your beloved pet to eat some or all of it when you back is turned for "just a few minutes."

When a dog presents dribbling urine, jumping near out of it's skin with loud noises or sudden movements, pupils dilated to the point that their eyes appear black saucers, and they nearly drop asleep when they are sitting still, I am going to assume the canine has been exposed to marijuana. These symptoms can occur with ingestion of the stuff or in some cases inhaling the smoke. I have written about this before, but it needs to be repeated over and over again until the word gets out there.

It's NOT funny when your pet is high from weed. If they have ingested enough of it they can become quite ill from the secondary effects. The anxiety can be severe in these animals and some can get snappy. People or other animals could be bitten or scratched. Some of these patients suffer from vomiting and diarrhea and can become severely dehydrated. Yes it is rare that there are deaths from marijuana toxicity, but these animals need to be supported with fluids to help get through it quickly and safely.

One of my patients today ingested a marijuana chocolate brownie. In this case, the dog ingested TWO toxins. The marijuana and the chocolate. Of the two, the chocolate is the most toxic and could induce seizures. If left untreated, and the seizures continued out of control, the animal could die. This is serious stuff people! Keep all chocolate with or without marijuana in it, locked up and out of reach of your pets.

Another thing, it's very important that you tell your veterinarian if there is any chance your fur baby ingested any kind of substance, illegal or not. We are not out to turn you into the police. We just want to give your pet the correct medical treatment as quickly as possible. The longer you take to admit that your pet ingested or was exposed to drugs such as marijuana, crack cocaine, Xanax, Valium, Ecstacy, crystal meth, heroine, oxycodone, nicotine, or alcohol, the longer it takes for us to make the correct diagnosis and administer the proper treatment.

So please, save yourselves the headache, heartache and the emptying of your pocketbook. Keep any and all medications, whether prescription, over the counter, legal or otherwise safely out of reach of your pets. Okay, now I will get off my soapbox...for now.

A Day in the Life of Sirius Black and Gandalf the Gray

2011-10-29T21:05:00.000-07:00

These two fun loving brothers are watched over by myself and my Muse. I will not say that we own them. On the contrary, it's more like these two fur balls own us lock, stock and barrel. And you know, we wouldn't have it any other way. As you can see by the above picture, anything we bring home, they immediately claim as theirs and won't give it up until they feel like it. Period.

Does that sound familiar? I am sure it does. Anyone who is a guardian to a cat or several, knows full well what I am talking about. Being a veterinarian doesn't make me exempt from any of it. In fact, I think the demands of these two rugrats have escalated beyond what nonveterinary folks have to endure. The fact the I know better doesn't stop them from using their kitten secret powers on me and their "Poppy" at every turn. When those powers wear off, they resort to the ever popular ankle biting. Believe me, these two can tag team with the bites and kitten sad eyes and will have you putty in their paws in no time. That tell tale snarky purr will let you know that they got the best of you, but you won't care. They are just too damn cute to resist.

There is no sleeping in for these two. At 4am every single day, rain or shine, they start crawling all over us in bed. It's really subtle at first. Slowly they move up our bodies to settle on our chest or stomach. Any movement at all, will set off the slow rumbling purrs from both of them. With each passing minute, the purring gets louder and louder until it nearly echos off the walls. Well, it seems that way since by this time they have made it up to settle on the pillows on top of my head and close to my ear. Now the nibbling of the cheeks begins. A few licks of those rough tongues are thrown in for good measure before they bite harder my chin. Notice that I said MY chin. Those buggers won't bother their "Poppy" like this in the morning. Oh no! It's "Mommy" who will get up and feed them if they keep up the pleas.

Pushing them off of the pillows doesn't work. They just go for phase two. Gandalf will pounce on my feet, biting through the covers while his little brother Sirius nuzzles back up around my head and bites my ear. I already have them pierced, but Sirius seems to think I want a few more holes. Gandalf gets tired of chasing my toes and lands full pounce on my stomach. Not a good thing this early in the morning as my bladder is near bursting. I break free of the monsters long enough to make a break for the loo, and then they turn their attention to "Poppy" still snoring in the bed.

Gandalf launches into his "happy feet" dance on "Poppy's" abs. When he doesn't get the response he's looking for, he goes lower...THAT gets my Muse's attention. He rolls over, strategically covering up vulnerable body parts and says "It's too early, boyos. Five more minutes." And in less time than that, he is fast asleep, snoring once again. Do these boys give up? Not a chance!

Both furballs streak to the bathroom to cut me off before I can get to the sink to wash my hands. Zipping in and out between my bare ankles, nipping as they go, I get herded toward their empty food bowls. At this point, I wave the white flag. My skin is already bruised from those teeth and claws. I am too tired to fight back. I shuffle out to the kitchen with both boyos thudding down the hallway. For animals who are supposed to be stealth hunters, they sure can make a hell of a lot of noise running down the hall!

Once the dishes are filled to their satisfaction, we make it back down the hallway to the bedroom. The dishes are placed in the appropriate areas on their mats and then...nothing. Two pairs of glowing eyes stare up at me, unblinking. "Now what?" I am too sleepy to figure it out at first, so Sirius walks over to their water fountain bowl and flips his foot in it. "Forgive me, your highness. Let me top that off for you." I grab the water jug from the bathroom and fill up the chamber of water bowl and then climb back into bed, snuggle up to my Muse and try to get a few more hours of sleep.

No such luck.

Sirius is not hungry after all. He climbs up on top of my head again and starts purring Beethoven's Fifth in my ear. One paw sneaks across my face and settles on my mouth, in essence telling me to "Shush, it's time to sleep." Hmm, I think it's time to toss one black kitten out of the bed, but he thinks otherwise. He slides off of my head and settles between me and his Poppy and is out cold in thirty seconds flat. I'm beginning to feel ganged up on here!

Alarms go off about thirty minutes later and it's time for Poppy's shower. Now the boys fly into the bathroom and watch him get ready, from shower, to shave, to brushing teeth. Sirius is up close and personal watching every single movement so that he can perform it himself "when he grows up." I kid you not. This cat studies everything we do in the bathroom. It's unnerving at times. Gandalf on the other hand loves to watch from a distance, but will help you get dressed. Pulling your socks away from you as you reach for them, sitting on your pants, giving them one last fluff before he lets you put them on, you know, the usual.

Both kittens will then bolt down the hallway as Poppy makes his way to the kitchen to get a bottle of water and his keys. Sirius grabs for the bottle, as Gandalf grabs for the keys. Tag teaming at it's best once again. Oh and don't go leaving money lying around either. They will pocket every single dollar bill they can find. One afternoon, Gandalf had a twenty dollar bill in his mouth as he came running out of the master bedroom. With the cash and the keys, I think those two were going to go cruising in the Mustang looking for babes!

Since the Mustang was off to work with their Poppy, they came back to the bedroom to get me up again. Seems that it was time to scoop the litter boxes, all four of them. Yes we have four covered litter boxes for two cats. The rule of thumb is actually one box per cat, plus one. We were wise to use four. These two fill up both boxes daily. They are lean mean pooping machines! I just wish Sirius would leave the litter IN the boxes and not track it all over the house. I can dream can't I?

Litter box clean up is a major production in our household. No sooner one of us gets a box scooped out, Gandalf will hop in and dump another load. This happens with all four boxes. Where the hell does he keep it all? Oh and we can't leave the lid off of the litter bucket. Sirius will try to pee in that when we are dealing with Gandalf. Once again, they work together to make our lives just a little bit harder.

Even with their antics, and they do new stuff every single day that amazes us, we wouldn't have it any other way. We adopted both of them when they were just a few weeks old. They have grown up so fast and have taken over our hearts and our lives. I know we can't imagine our lives without them now. When I look into those two pairs of eyes, I know they feel the same. They chose us just as much as we chose them.

Dr. Tammy's Detox and Rehab Clinic at your service!

2011-10-19T08:39:00.000-07:00

I think it's high time we discuss a problem that is growing in our communities. Try as we might, we can no longer turn a blind eye to it nor can we sweep it under the rug. Time to face it head on. I'm talking about the large number of our four legged loved ones in need of an intervention. Yes, it's true. LIttle Sparky is addicted to marijuana.

"It can't be true, Dr. Tammy! You must be mistaken." Really? How else can we explain the sheer numbers of dogs and some cats that end up in veterinary emergency rooms on a daily basis high on weed? It can't be that their human "parents" are leaving their stashes out where their furry "children" could have access to them. It can't be that these humans are smoking it around their pets. It can't be that they have the smoke and or leaf remnants on their clothing that a two pound Maltese could inhale or ingest. These people swear that they have no marijuana in their homes and don't know anyone who could have it. So it must mean that these independent pups are roaming the streets in search of someone who will sell them a dime bag.

I'm sure that you have deduced that I'm joking about a very serious problem. The latest case I had was a little Maltese who supposedly ingested a "tiny" amount of marijuana TWO DAYS before he presented to our clinic. He had low blood sugar as well since he hadn't eaten well in that time period, but honestly he was still high. There was no way that the puppy could be still high two days after an ingestion of the THC in the marijuana. He had to be getting exposed again and I was soon to find out just how recently he was exposed to it.

I give this pet owner credit. He admitted right off that the pet ate the stuff, but kept insisting that two days ago was the only possible time. Of course he didn't count on the fact that one of my technicians was in the parking coming back from lunch and witnessed him rolling himself a fat boy. When I was told what was witnessed, I had to laugh. Why lie about it now? The puppy could be treated and would do fine, as long as repeated exposure didn't occur. I took him back into the room, saw the bits of ground weed on his shirt and shook my head. I pointed out the evidence on his shirt. "THIS is where Sparky keeps getting the marijuana."

He looked at me with that 'dazed and confused' look and I could have smacked him. As luck would have it, I didn't have to. His partner did it for me! I was reassured by the partner that there would be no further problems with Sparky when it came to the marijuana. He would make damn sure of it! LOL!

The joys of practicing veterinary medicine in California...near Berkeley! ;)

The take home lesson once again: if you are going to partake, LOCK IT UP! Don't have it around your kids, two or four legged. The smaller the animal, the easier it is to get them high on it, even just inhaling the smoke from your clothing. Pets that have ingested small amounts of it can be treated, but if enough is ingested, they can become extremely ill. And so can your pocket book!

Updates on where to find For the Love of Quinn

2011-10-14T08:38:00.000-07:00

For the Love of Quinn now available on Amazon

You can also now sign up for an electronic autograph from me through Kindlegraph

Request a Kindlegraph from Tammy Dennings Maggy

Heroines: What kind would you rather read about?

2011-10-08T23:13:00.000-07:00

      It's a question that I have asked myself on numerous occasions. There are times when I have read a particularly strong female lead and wanted to smack her and tell her that's it's okay to let your guard down once in a while. Not everyone is out to "get you." Then there is the other side of the coin: the woman who is basically a drama queen and can't do anything for herself without falling to pieces. These women make me want to shake them to wake them out of their la la land. Okay that's a bit harsh, but you get the point.

      Which type of heroine am I? Well, both of them of course! I'm a mix of both of these ladies and at times I am at one extreme or the other, much to my chagrin. I would like to think I am the strong independent type (read BIOTCH) most of the time, but I have moments when I am simply overwhelmed and long to have someone take care of everything for me, even if just for a few hours. I am very lucky to have found someone who loves all sides of me, from cranky to weepy, from independent to supportive, from serious to silly. This is the type of heroine I would like to read about, or see in movies. Someone who is a little bit of everything, basically me.

       I think that is a bit more realistic, don't you? I have read some blogs and reviews for books that I have read and thoroughly enjoyed that slam the heroine as too wishy washy, that the reader will have a hard time believing that this woman lets the man do everything for her, never having to meet her problems head on. Why would the reader have a hard time believing it? Sounds like real life to me! I personally know women (and more than a few men!) who are exactly like that. I also know some real bad asses who would sooner fall flat on their face than accept help from anyone...ever. Maybe it's not that the reader would have a hard time identifying with these kind of heroines. Maybe it's that they identify with them too much and want an escape.

       Now I think we are on to something! Personally I love to have characters who are like me. Hell, I created a bunch of them. Each and every single one of them is me and I have to admit it goes both ways. Writing their stories has helped me find myself, not just the person I had put out there for the world to see, but the real me. Writing has helped me open up parts of my soul that I had shut off from everyone and everything. I have been hurt so badly in the past by people who I have trusted. I put up walls and barriers that I have had a hell of a time breaking down again. Through my heroines, I can let people see those hidden parts of me and not feel judged. Through these women, I can let down my guard and let a lover pamper the hell out of me, spoil me rotten, and basically rock my world in the bedroom.

      My heroines help me to work through all of life's challenges from the loss of loved ones, demanding careers, inability to conceive, divorce, unrequited love, betrayal of a friend, and discovering the goddess within my very soul. Not strong enough? Too wishy washy? Never! Each one serves a purpose and together they make the perfect heroine...me. Take a good look at the women in the books you read. What kind of heroine are they? Look harder and really see. She is YOU. Now go out and grab all that life has to offer and become the greatest heroine of all!

Another day in the life of Dr. Tammy

2011-10-05T09:56:00.000-07:00

"Can we have a stability check in the lobby for a little dog who is in shock and has a broken leg?"

      The page rang throughout the veterinary hospital during the rainy evening. I couldn't help but wonder if it was going to be the start of many animals being rushed in after being hit by motor vehicles, but this one was a little bit of a surprise. My technicians and I were expecting to find a pale, barely moving dog with pieces of bone sticking out of his leg. None of that was present. In fact, the patient looked a bit depressed all right but not from shock. His pupils were dilated and he could barely stand let alone walk without stumbling, bobbing and weaving around like he was drunk.

      A smile slowly spread across my face as I looked into the adorable white dog's fully dilated pupils and asked my tech to ask a few more key questions of the pet owner. The most important being did they have any recreational drugs in the house that their "baby" could have ingested. Marijuana was my first guess and the correct one. Of course the owners swore there was no possible way that their dog got into that. They had so little in the house. If I only had a nickel for every time I heard that or the outright denials that they have it in their home, I would have retired ten years ago!

      Marijuana ingestion by pets is a very common presentation at our veterinary hospital. Even my brand new receptionists can pick up on the tell tale signs right off. In this particular case, the owner rushed in and said her pooch fell off the bed and broke his leg. She ASSUMED that's what happened. She came home to find him staggering on the floor near the bed and thought he fell. Being dazed and confused is a bit like what most folks would think was shock symptoms, so I can see why she thought what she did. After first being relieved that her pet was in fact not in shock, nor did he have anything broken, she switched to being a little put off that we would suggest that her dog was high. In these cases, trying to keep a straight face while they stutter and stammer and come up with any other excuse other than the truth, can be rather difficult to say the least. I usually end up losing the battle and outright giggle.

       Reassuring them repeatedly that we are in no way saying that they are using the stuff, just that the dog has had some access, most people will take a few minutes and then admit that the weed "belongs to a friend." I do love the clients that come right into the room and admit right off that their animal ate their stash. Makes for a quicker admittance to the hospital for IV fluids, activated charcoal and overall monitoring while the pet goes through a "detox." My favorite was a very shy man who called me into an exam room to speak in private. He had a brownie package in his hands. He admitted that he had baked his prescription marijuana into the brownies. He burned the batch so he threw them out. His dog got into the trash and ate more than half of them. This was very important to know. Marijuana toxicity is easily remedied, but chocolate toxicity takes more doing and more medications to control seizures that can occur.

       This brings to mind another story. Practicing here in Northern California I get all kinds of people walking into our clinic and they all fascinate me. One woman in particular though...well, let's just say I wanted to shake her a bit. She brought in her dog who had ingested a brownie that was given to her by a friend. It was one that was purchased at the "pot stores" or so she said. On further inspection, it was one that was make with dark chocolate, the most toxic for dogs, marijuana and, wait for it...magic mushrooms. While explaining to her what we needed to do, she kept rushing me and wanted to just sign the estimate and go. She was late for a function. Turns out she was heading out to the Burning Man celebration and didn't want to miss her ride and she was a bit ticked that her dog had eaten the brownie she was supposed to take with her to enjoy there. Can you see why I wanted to shake her a bit?

        Another case involved a wee little Mini Pin puppy. She was brought in so stoned, that she could barely hold up her head, was very sensitive to noise, fully dilated pupils and dribbling urine everywhere she staggered. The whole family was present in the exam room when I went in to tell them that their puppy was high. The Mom shot daggers at her kids who launched into lightning fast denials. Everyone was talking fast and loud except Dad. He just kept quiet with his eyes down on the floor. I waited until I could get a word in and asked him if he had anything to say. He said no. "I don't smoke my weed in the house. I go outside and the puppy is inside." I asked him if he picked her up and carried her around all the time. He admitted that. "She's my baby. She wants to be with me all the time. I barely get in the house and she is jumping up into my arms." In this case, the barely two pound puppy was getting a major contact high from Dad. Needless to say there was no more smoking the weed around that puppy again!

      The take home lesson here, lock up your stash people! What you do with it on your own time as an adult is your business, but when you walk into my hospital with a pet that is high as a kite, I am going to grill you a bit and the medical evidence doesn't lie. You can say it's not yours all you want, doesn't matter one bit to me. I just need all the information to treat your pet to the best of my ability. You provide that, and we are good to go!

What part of the fast lane don't you understand?

2011-09-25T15:19:00.000-07:00

      You know who I'm talking about, that little blue Honda that zipped across all four lanes of the freeway to get themselves right in front of you, and then slow down to 60 miles an hour. Wouldn't be so bad if you weren't already flying at nearly 75mph. Now you have to slam on your breaks to avoid tearing off the Honda's bumper as they nearly clip your vehicle. As the Honda driver waves at you and you resist the urge (or not) to flip her off, you notice that not only is she talking on her cell phone, but the blinker that she only turned on AFTER she changed lanes remains on.

      This is usually the point when I let loose with a string of foul language that would make a salty old sailor blush. I'm not kidding. I really do understand road rage at moments like this, but in all actuality we blame the wrong person. Maybe we shouldn't be hollering at the Honda driver or those just like her, but maybe we should go after the driving instructor/DMV employee that gave this twit the license in the first place!

       Think about it for just a moment. Teachers are being held accountable when their students don't pass the state mandated tests. Why shouldn't these driving instructors be called to the carpet for not teaching these people the proper rules of the road? Some of these new driver's had to pay for their driving school, so why were they not given the proper skills? Yes it is true that some of these people may have done really well for their tests and then fucked up down the line. Now it's the time to pay the piper then. Time to have another refresher course, behind the wheel, in inclement weather, in the city and on the highways.

      Wouldn't it be great if people learned that yes you do have to pull over and out of the way of emergency vehicles if they are behind you with their lights flashing. Just because you are driving a Lexus in the fast lane does not mean that the fire truck behind you has to pass your ass on the shoulder. Putting your blinker on AFTER you have completed the lane change doesn't help make the driver you cut off any less pissed at you. Merging traffic is supposed to get up to speed of the highway/road that they are entering, NOT staying at 35 mph for another three miles when the speed limit is 65mph. Rain is not an excuse to go 85 in a 55 zone and then slam on your brakes to not miss your exit. A red light means STOP. It does not mean that three more cars can go through the intersection.

      It is NOT an unwritten rule that you can come up behind someone and flash your brights and they have to get out of your way. Don't fucking switch lanes just to get behind me in the fast lane and start flashing your lights at me if you are not a member of law enforcement, the fire department or an ambulance. If you do, you will just make me slam on my breaks so that your nice new Lexus is now a compact car.

      Driving too fast for conditions doesn't necessarily mean that you are speeding. You lose control of your car and you are driving too fast for conditions plain and simple. I will be the one waving at you as the highway patrol officer is giving you that ticket!

      When there are signs that a lane will be closed ahead, it will be closed and you have to merge BEFORE you are right on top of the flashing arrow sign that is closing off the lane. Move your ass over before you get to that point or you will just have to accept that the other drivers do NOT have to let you in. And just because you are pushing your way over into my passenger door, will not make me or anyone be able to get out of the way faster.

And for that lady driving the Honda, the signs that say slower traffic keep RIGHT means YOU! And yes I know you are the very same person who flew past me on the two lane road close to my house so you can then cut me off to make a right turn.   Karma will get you one day, my friend. I'm thinking that one or both of your teenagers are old enough to drive soon. Better stock up on those Depends!

Sex scenes: hot and spicey or sweet and "innocent"—which do you prefer?

2011-09-13T13:50:00.000-07:00

      Now that I have my first book published, I have seen a lot of posting in the author and reader groups about what people prefer to write and read themselves. One answer that sort of put a bee in my bonnet was that he preferred the more sweet romances over the erotic stuff because he has "a real problem with the lack of emotions, tenderness, desires, and mental responses in most erotica." Well, I would beg to differ. The best erotica includes all of those things, just super hot, steamy EXPLICIT love scenes. The language that I use when I write those scenes is how I talk. Sure I have what some would call a "potty" mouth, but that is my reality, and that is how I write. Whether you want to admit it or not, that language appeals to a lot of people out there, especially women.

      I totally agree that form of writing is not for everyone. Some people prefer it without the emotions and desires...that is what I would call porn. Erotica is NOT porn. I wish people would recognize the difference. For me, mainstream romances have some steamy scenes, but it uses more flowery language to describe body parts and what each person in the scene is feeling inside and out. For example, you can write a scene about someone losing their virginity and use terms such as "deflowered" or "crossed into womanhood" when you are being on the sweet side. On the more erotic side you could say anything from "unlocked her pleasure vault" to "popped her cherry." Porn on the other hand will just basically have a sex scene with all the explicit words: wham, bam, thank you ma'am. No tenderness, no buildup, just drop your clothes and fuck. Plain and simple. No thrills, no frills, just two bodies slamming into each other until one or both gets off. Sort of boring if you ask me!

      I remember when I was a teenager and reading romance novels that described sex between the hero and heroine usually as the first time for the woman and of course she falls madly in love with him and they are together for the rest of their lives. Well, most romances in real life don't work out that way and maybe that's why I loved reading those at the time. Now, having lived through enough broken hearts and shed enough tears over my own love life, I want the hot passion that erotica can bring to me. Whether it's fantasy, paranormal, contemporary, male/female, menage and more, I want to read it all and get lost in my own fantasy world for a bit. Maybe, just maybe I will take some of that hot passion and share it with my life partner who is every bit the sexy hero I write and read about.

      Erotica can enhance your own sex life and sexual experiences. I don't feel that it degrades women or treats them as sex objects. The heroines in erotic romances are strong, independent women who discover they have needs and desires just as powerful as men. These women go out to get what they want and the men(or women!) that can help them fulfill their fantasies. Oh and lets not forget the other genres that include male/male, female/female, and menage and more stories. There is something for everyone in the erotic romances. Go out and read some for yourself and let your imagination run wild!

Check out my other blog/webpage

2011-09-08T14:50:00.001-07:00

http://authortammydenningsmaggy.wordpress.com/

I am turning my blog over at wordpress into my webpage and eventually I hope to turn this one into one too. Check it out and let me know what you think!

2011-09-02T23:21:00.000-07:00

Romance Author Tammy Dennings Maggy

It's my Vacation...NOT!

2011-08-27T09:55:00.000-07:00

      I had been planning this trip home to Michigan for the last year. Finally I was going to be able to attend our multi-class reunion we call Burtpalooza. This is the third year that they have put it on and I was so looking forward to it. I had planned to make some dishes for the potluck that went along with the bbq'd pork they were having for the main course. I was looking forward to spending time with friends, old and new, that I have not seen in years. Unfortunately, things don't turn out the way you plan them in your head. This vacation has turned out to be a doozy for me.

      Two days here, I had to rush one of my friends to the hospital. She was staying with me and my family and had planned on helping me make all of this food. Unfortunately, her long term illnesses caught up with her once again and she was waylaid. Between running back and forth to Saginaw for her and trying to get ready for the reunion, I was worn out. I wanted to crawl into bed and not wake up for a day or two, but that was not in the cards. I was going to that reunion come hell or high water, and Mother Nature was about to give us plenty of that too!

      The morning of the reunion party, I got up and put together all the salads and the layered dip, packed up the cooler with our beverages and loaded it all up in my jeep along with a few fold up chairs. The sky was sunny in the early morning, but then the clouds rolled in. By noon it was down right overcast and the darker storm clouds were creeping in. My friend fought with her doctors to get released from the hospital early, but they would not let her out to after at least 4pm. Lucky for me, my Mom volunteered to go spring her out when it was time so that I could set up and enjoy some time with my friends without having to worry about anything else. Nothing else except the storm that is!

      Around 2pm, the wind suddenly picked up and whipped through the party area. The wind and rain were pelting from all directions almost like trying to form a tornado. We grabbed what we could and raced for the garage where we had set up the food. A small group of us were soaked to our skins and stood wide eyed watching the two tents we set up go flying around the yard! The umbrella took off and I think ended up in the next county. It just flew up and over the house and then it was gone. Then one of the porta-potties tipped over. Luckily, no one was in there or had even used it yet and it was still in working condition after the rain stopped and we were able to put it upright once again.. Just as suddenly as it came through, the storm left and the clouds began to clear. More people arrived and the party got rolling right along.

      Almost all of my Soul Sisters were able to make it and I was so happy to see them again. Another friend surprised us all by coming after saying he wasn't going to make it this year. Good food, great friends and finally nice weather made that day extra special for me. I handed out pictures of the cover of my very first novel out next month and they had me sign them. My friends made me feel like a mini celebrity. Nothing like an ego boost from people who love you! By the end of the night, promises were made to keep in touch and we parted ways once again. My heart was full and my dreams were filled with plans to see them all again soon. Unfortunately, the nice relaxing vacation that I had envisioned in those dreams was going to be a distant memory.

      Two days after that wonderful reunion party, I received a phone call from my step-mom. My dad, Dale Dennings, was taken to Sparrow Hospital in East Lansing. They found a huge brain aneurysm and he was going to be transported to Grand Rapids for surgery.   My stomach dropped when I heard the news. We had plans to meet up in Birch Run the following morning and the three of us were going to drive up to see my Grandma in Grayling. This was not happening! First my friend, and now my Dad. Damn it to Hell!

      Since it would be several hours before they were to transfer him, I made sure that I was able to visit the one Soul Sister who could not be with us at the reunion.   She had been very ill with CRPS lately and just exhausted and in a lot of pain. There was no way I was going to miss seeing her and give her the gift I had made for her. The six of us now have charm necklaces that bind us together as sisters. I also wrote a poem called Prayer for Strength and Courage. I showed her how to use the poem with the white candles and a little lavender oil. It will be her prayer spell to help give her the strength and courage she needed to get through and she would draw on the energy from the rest of us by holding on to her charms. When I wrote the poem, I only had Tara in mind, but turns out all of us were in need of this prayer spell and my family in particular.

      My dad has been a heavy smoker and drinker for a great deal of his life. It is the smoking and the high blood pressure that lead to the formation of the largest aneurysm that the surgeon has ever seen. It covered up both of his optic nerves. It's a wonder he didn't have symptoms before now. They are optimistic that they have the bleeding under control, but now he is going through alcohol withdrawals. Top that all off with his COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) and you have a patient that cannot be taken off the ventilator yet. The doctors are tweaking his sedatives to hopefully find the "happy place" so that he can be comfortable as his head and lungs try to heal. We won't know if there is any long standing brain damage until he is extubated and can talk. He is going to be in the hospital for at least another 10 days and I have to go back to California well before then.

      Making the trip up to Grayling to tell my Grandma that her son was stable but far from out of the woods yet, was very difficult for me. I didn't know if she would understand what he was facing or if she understood that there was a chance that he may not make it through. Her short term memory is not all that great so there was a lot of our conversation that we had to repeat, but I didn't mind. It was great to see her again, even under these circumstances. Unfortunately, she thinks Dad will be cured of his alcoholism once he wakes up and won't want to smoke or drink again. Sorry, Gran. That is just not how it all works.

      Did you think that was the end of the vacation nightmare? Nope. My brother totalled his truck avoiding several white tailed deer. He is all battered and bruised and having trouble getting around. WTF!!!!???

      Last night I got together with a few more friends at the Backwoods in Burt. We had a few drinks and a hell of a lot of laughs. Leave it to my friends to help me get the happy back into my vacation. Today, more friends and family will join me here at my Mom's house for a bbq and swimming. I need this day to relax a bit, for tomorrow I have one last visit with Dad at the hospital before I head back home late Monday night(September 29th). Good thing I have one more day home in California to regroup before I go back to work at the veterinary hospital. My mind just can't take much more of the drama around here! LOL

My Soul Sisters

2011-08-13T16:07:00.000-07:00

How many of you have a group of friends who have been there for you through hell and back? They don't have to have been in your life for as far back as you can remember, but the time they have been bonded with you has made your life rich beyond measure. I am lucky to have five such women in my life.   One of them I have known since kindergarten and our friendship stood the test of time and separation and we are stronger now for it. Another I reconnected with over the last two years and the friendship is more than I could have ever asked for. We have found that we have so much more in common than we ever imagined when we were young, and now we can truly appreciate the blessings we give to each other. Another sister looked me up on Facebook and we bonded over heartbreak, illness and the love of the paranormal. She is my dear fae and forever holds a place in my heart. Another is the practical one of us all, more of the protective Mamma Bear. Threaten one of us and her claws come out and she will rip you to shreds. Always there for you with a sympathetic ear and shoulder to cry on, but she will give you a swift kick in the butt when you need it too! The newest one came into my life a bit unexpectedly. She is the sister of one who I had been in love with since the tenth grade. Through him, I got the privilege of getting to know someone with a heart of gold and a fierce protector of her family and friends. Even though my relationship with her brother cooled, she remains in my heart as if she has always been there.

The last year was an emotional roller coaster for me.   I am currently in the end stages of divorce proceedings, had my heart shattered beyond repair by someone I thought would be by my side through the next stages of my life, and nearly lost myself through it all. For a short bit there, I lost sight of who I was and what I wanted to do with my life. The pull to end it all was so great, but the love and support from my Soul Sisters was even greater. They pulled me back from that darkness and now I am looking toward a bright future.

My first novel will be out next month and I am working on more. I even pulled out files of books that have been works in progress for over 15 years. I WILL finish those and submit them as well. Finally, I will be living the dream of being a writer and hopefully very soon a FULL TIME writer.   Time will tell for that one, but I know I will have the support of my friends and family. They deserve to share in the joy that is my life now because they stood by me through it all.

I wrote a poem for them and recently had it framed and sent to them as a surprise. The six of us will be together soon, but I wanted them to have their gift from me before I got into town. I didn't share the poem with anyone before now. I hope you enjoy it and that you are blessed with people in your life like my Heart and Soul Sisters. I love you girls!

Heart and Soul Sisters

Bound together by all but blood,
Two sets of three drawn together
After all of these years.
Mothers, daughters, sisters, friends…
Always supporting
Never to judge.
Loss of loved ones,
Empty nests,
We’ve helped each other through
Some of life’s hardest of tests.

Ups and downs.
Joys and fears.
Smiles and Frowns.
Laughter and tears.
Three by three we stand
Meeting each challenge hand and hand.

Fascinating women each and every one,
All on their own.
But together they are
An unstoppable force.
When one is in need
The others rally around
So they are never alone
But instead meet life’s challenges
Head on and full throttle
Which for these women is par for the course.

I am blessed to count myself
As part of this group of friends
I hold dear to my heart.
For without them,
I would have lost all hope
And fallen apart…
Whenever they’re in need
I will be there as I know
They will be for me.
For it’s now and forever
In my heart and soul
Will these sisters be.
Dochappycamper
2:55pm
4/17/2011

Going home again

2011-08-09T22:18:00.000-07:00

Last year I went home to Michigan with a heavy heart. I had originally planned my entire ten days of vacation along with another person who flaked out on me a little over two weeks before I was set to fly back east. What made it even harder, it was the first time I had been back home since my Dad's funeral in November 2005. I had such mixed emotions that day and I would like to share a poem that I had written on the the last leg of my trip. As the plane took off from Minnesota I had a good deal of the poem written and just put the finishing touches on it as we landed. The following is the original travel log/post that I put up on Facebook during my trip last year.

Going home again...

by Tammy Dennings Maggy on Sunday, October 31, 2010 at 9:43pm

Today was the first day back home to Michigan in nearly five years. The last time was in the company of my husband Jeff and we were traveling the Saturday after Thanksgiving...two long days after my Dad, John McInerney lost his battle Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma. The airports were a madhouse then, but not so bad this visit. This time all of my flights were on time. This time I was traveling alone, but still with a heavy heart.

As the plane took off from Minneapolis beginning the last leg of my journey home, I could feel the tears start to threaten to fall. I kept willing them away. Please, not now. Let me have one day without tears...but they had other plans. I kept my eyes closed and tried to pretend to sleep, but the Delta pilot sitting next to me noticed and asked if I was okay. "Sure, just have not been home in a long time and I need to be." He smiled at me and handed me his travel pack of Kleenex. "Now why would a beautiful woman like you be sad about getting to go home? Seems like you should be smiling that killer smile I saw you flash the ticket agent as we were boarding."

I had to laugh at that. I didn't realize that I had smiled at the older woman when she fumbled with my ticket or that someone was watching me so closely. I would be lying if it didn't make me feel good to be told I was beautiful by a stranger...and one in uniform to boot! Feels like such a long time since someone told me that...and meant it...and I believed them. I thanked him for the Kleenex and tried to leave it at that, but with just gentle prodding he got me to tell him my story: losing Dad, my marriage falling apart and heading for divorce. But I held back telling the other things that were bringing me down and he could sense it. "I think there is more to your story...am I right?"

I smiled a little at him and nodded. He didn't press it, but I could tell he understood. After the stewards passed out the peanuts and the Coke, he spoke to me again. "Don't let the fact that a fool let a woman like you fall through their fingers get you down. They are the failure here, not you. And I am not talking about your marriage." I was stunned and that made him laugh. "Oh I know that pain all too well, I have five sisters!" I had to laugh at that one too. The flight was only a couple of hours but for that time, this off duty pilot made me forget about all the crap that was going on in my life and just giggle for no reason. He was a riot. He asked me to dinner, but I already planned to drive home that night and had to decline....maybe the next time we were in town together. He smiled and said..."well, can't blame a guy for trying. I hope you find what you are looking for pretty lady." Then he walked off toward the parking structure to his car and I headed in the opposite direction for my rental car shuttle. Damn it! I should have gone out with him! LOL Oh well, at least I had a fun flirtation going on today!

It took forever for that rental car shuttle to show up too. For those of you who don't travel through Detroit Metro let me set the stage. When you go through baggage claim on one level, you have to take an elevator to the next level to get to a walk way over to another section of the building to take and escalator down to another level to meet your shuttle. Good lord that is not easy with a nearly 50pound piece of luggage! Then the elderly gentleman who drove the shuttle struggled with all of our luggage and cracked jokes the whole time...about how the construction going on was probably exactly as I remembered it from five and maybe even 10 years ago when I first moved away to California. And you know what? IT WAS!!! LOL

Driving 275 to 23 up toward Flint and then on to 75 brought back so many memories of living in the Detroit Metro Area and driving up every other week to visit my parents. Some of the leaves still had color but most of them went brown already, but they still looked beautiful to me. Even the freaky construction zone was a welcome sight. My heart was heavy and happy at the same time. I missed my Dad so much at that moment. I am hurting so badly and he would always be there to pick up the pieces and help me find myself again. He isn't here physically, but I can feel him everywhere. His office, the yard, even staying up late on my netbook...which he would have had to have at least one himself. He was so into these things. And I am just like him with my reading glasses part way down my nose while I am typing this. I can almost hear him whispering in my ear and hugging me tight...."It's gonna be okay, honey. You will get through this and you will give your heart to someone who really deserves it one day and they will cherish it forever. Not that there won't be tough times, but he won't bail on you when the times get tough. You wait and see." That was what he said to me right after I went through a huge breakup right after I first moved to California. I gave up everything for that man and got nothing in return. Dad never made me feel stupid about it. He told me to follow my heart and love with all I could. I would always wonder if I didn't. And he was right.

And he still is right.

I will stop regretting loving with my whole heart. If I never took the chance, I would still be wondering what if, and now I know.

Now here is the poem that I wrote at the beginning of that trip. Let's see what I can come up with when I fly home again next week!

Home Again

As soon as the wheels touched down,
The memories came flooding back.
Last time here was to say goodbye to the head of our family,
Our Rock, Provider, Protector.

Could feel him with me today,
As I left yet another plane.
Could feel his hand in mine;
Could hear him whisper
"it's gonna be okay. You'll get through this too."
I am here. Lean on me.
Lean on the family.
That is why you are going home.

Five long years have passed
Since he was laid to rest.
But his guidance remains
Pulling me home again when life became unbearable.

So many emotions run through me as I drive North toward Home:
Shame to have failed yet again in love,
Failed at the marriage he had blessed.
Ashamed to have let another steal my heart and soul
so completely and leave me devastated.

But this time the Fixer of Broken Hearts and Souls
Was not there to pick up the pieces
and give me a reason for going home

This year was supposed to be different
Thought I found another to help me mend.
For three long years I barely existed,
Losing myself with each passing hour and day.

An old friend returned the smile to my face
And the laugh to my soul.
My Heart was nearly mended enough to trust again.
But the love that was promised was not true.
It was not meant to be.
So the heart that could not mend, shattered all the more.

Now I return home to my family and friends.
They will help bring the joy back into my life,
The smile to my face, and the laugh to my heart and soul.
For this is why I return again.
This is why I am going home.

(dochappycamper 10/31/2010)

Tammy Dennings Maggy's erotic romance For the Love of Quinn

2011-08-07T00:23:00.000-07:00

The "D" word: how your life can begin again after divorce

2011-08-06T00:06:00.000-07:00

      Less than three years ago I was in a deep depression and thinking that I had nowhere to go and no one to turn to to help me get through it. I felt lost and alone. I had failed at yet another relationship but I wasn't ready to admit that to myself, let alone admit that my marriage was actually over before our third anniversary. I was determined to keep trying, to find some way to stay married and keep the friendship going at the very least. It wasn't working, and I was miserable.
      I put up with the neglect and kept making excuses. Not that he was physically abusive, but mentally I was being torn down. He never said mean or cruel things, but it was more like I was an afterthought. My wants and needs were ignored. Like a child, he was more into fulfilling his own needs than mine or working on our marriage. Sure I got all the promises to try harder, to make our marriage more of a partnership, but once a day or two went by, it went back to the "benign neglect"and I was left to fend for myself.
      Finally after six years I reached my breaking point. I wanted out. I realized that I had to take care of me for once, but damn was I scared! How the hell was I going to make it on my own in California where the cost of living is so high and you need two incomes to survive? Should I stay here or move back home to Michigan where all of my friends and family lived? I worried about him too. Would he be able to take care of himself and make it on his own? Because of those worries, I kept delaying filing for divorce. All that did was make it harder to break free for the both of us.
      During the last two years I was working on and off on my first erotic romance For the Love of Quinn. I poured my heart and soul into it, spilling all of my sorrows and yes sharing my fantasies. I told the story of how I wanted my life to turn out, how I would find my happily ever after. The day I received the notice from the court that they officially recognized our legal separation date, I received word from a publisher that they wanted to publish my "baby." I had gone through hell and back and now I was going to live my dream!
      Today I met someone who was also going through the divorce process. Just three short weeks ago her husband told her he wanted out. She said fine with her, but inside she was reeling. How would she make it on her own? Would she lose the house or suffer in other areas financially? In her eyes, I saw the anxiety and fear that I had felt for all of those years. There was no way I was going to sit back and let her doubt her decision. I told her a bit of my story and by the end of it, she was smiling and told me she had renewed hope. She could begin her life again and it would be even better.
      Yes we can! Divorce is not a dirty word in our cases, but the beginning of a whole new world for both of us. I wish her all the love and happiness that life can bring and the freedom to enjoy it all to the fullest. Lady Fate has bestowed those very same blessings onto me. I can see my path in front of me and look forward to exploring every single part of it!

Cover for my first book For the Love of Quinn

2011-08-03T00:30:00.000-07:00

Jinger Heaston captured my vision perfectly. I couldn't be happier! The tentative ebook release date is now September 13th. I will update everyone when the date is finalized. Stay tuned for excerpts from Quinn's story and other posts soon. The final edits will be sent off to Siren tomorrow! Follow me and the Now and Forever series on facebook too!

http://www.facebook.com/Author.TammyDenningsMaggy

Silent killer

2011-07-30T08:57:00.000-07:00

      How many times have you been just wiped out during the day and just put it out of your mind thinking that you would just go to bed a little earlier that night and you would be fine? How often do you get odd chest pains that you attribute to indigestion? What about anxiety for no apparent reason? If you are a woman, you should be paying very close attention to those symptoms. You could be experiencing symptoms leading up to a heart attack.
      Did you know that one out of every three women die of heart disease and that it is the #1 killer of women in the United States? I have read those figures before in disbelief. How could that be? Why is it that so many women don't notice the signs or chalk them up to something else entirely? The biggest problem is that we all have the classic symptoms of a heart attack drilled into our heads and don't know that it is often totally different for women. Even doctors have missed these symptoms and sent women home from emergency rooms, only to have these same women return later that night...if they are lucky. Unfortunately, having the warning signs go unnoticed or ignored is oftentimes fatal.
     My best friend recently complained of unexplained fatigue, her walks were getting harder to do and not easier, dizziness, and shortness of breath. She has a myriad of other health concerns so she was on her way to the hospital anyway, but in the back of my mind I kept thinking she was passing another blood clot and I was beside myself with worry. Well, over TWELVE HOURS later we finally get some answers: heart attack caused by the blood clots they were trying to prevent.
      She was in disbelief. She thought she would know when she was having a heart attack and she didn't think she had any of the symptoms. She didn't have that squeezing chest pain or pressure or the pain that spread to her left arm. She did have the symptoms most common for women: dizziness and the unexplained weakness and fatigue. Other symptoms include indigestion or gas-like pain, discomfort between the shoulder blades, recurring chest discomfort and a sense of impending doom.
      Lucky for my friend, her doctors paid close attention to her symptoms and are watching her like a hawk, running all sorts of tests, and hopefully getting her out of that hospital and home to be with her family soon. Lucky for me too. Now that we know first hand what to watch for, there is no way we will miss any of the warning signs ever again. In two weeks we will be flying home to Michigan to visit friends and family that we have not seen in years. It wouldn't be a homecoming without having my Bestie there with me and I thank the gods that she got to the hospital in time.

Behind Closed Doors

2011-07-26T11:39:00.000-07:00

I've started a second blog called Behind Closed Doors on worldpress.com. Check it out if you have the time and let me know what you think. I may use that one for the more explicit topics I wish to blog about, but we shall see. I still don't have enough time in the day to do what I would like to do. I am off to do errands now and then back to the edits while making ribs for a gathering at the veterinary hospital tomorrow. We are celebrating the long time dedication of several of our employees who have all reached over the 10 year mark. One of them beats me out at 20 years! I am so proud of our staff!

Here's the link to the new blog. Hope to see you there!
http://authortammydenningsmaggy.wordpress.com/

Some of the poetry inspired by my Now and Forever series

2011-07-25T07:06:00.000-07:00

Hello All! I've been busy working on my final edits and a lot of memories came flooding back. I was on an emotional roller coaster at the time I was writing most of For the Love of Quinn and plotting out the next books in the series. I wrote a lot during that time and still try to put new ideas to paper as soon as they hit me. Besides the novels, a lot of poetry flew out of me and I thought I would share a little of it here with you. Let me know what you think.

Forever Love (Always and Forever)

His emerald green eyes burn into hers right from the start.
Why can’t she speak? Why can’t she breathe?
When he looks at her, all she feels
Is the relentless pounding of her heart.
Strange and yet so familiar the way he makes her feel.
It’s as if they’ve been together always and forever.

Too shy to open up her soul;
Scared of rejection and humiliation
She is unable to tell him.
Days turn into weeks.
Months turn into years…
But his eyes and smile still haunt her dreams
And continue to pull at her heart.
Always yearning, forever searching
For those smoldering eyes to pull her in.

Life goes on. People come and go.
But something has always been missing
From a life filled with fleeting moments of joy
And way too much pain.
Always yearning, forever searching
For the one who could make her feel whole.

Lady Fate steps in, no longer leaving it to chance.
She is tired of watching and waiting…
For Her two lost souls to join each other…
For the love that has always been
And forever will be.

She takes control to bring them together
No more waiting, no more searching.
His eyes burn into hers once again…
This time there is a confession, her soul naked and open.
Still afraid of rejection, but willing to take the chance
To be able to stop always yearning, forever searching.
For her heart knows what it wants and what it needs
Always and Forever.

Dochappycamper
10/07/2010

Darkest Hour

The pain of a love lost yet again
Is all consuming and gut wrenching.
And yet we will continue to suffer through
And hold out all hope.
It seems never-ending
Until one day your heart finally listens to your head.
It’s time to close the door
And throw away the key.
Just in time because you’ve reached
The frayed end of your rope.

Even in that darkest hour
You still believe things could change.
He’ll come back,
Realize his mistake.
Beg you to listen to him
Pour out his pain and sorrow.
But before you know it
He is gone once again
Telling you he will call tomorrow.

In this your darkest hour
You finally see that tomorrow will never come
He will go back to the world he left you for.
Cutting you out once again,
Leaving you unable to ask why,
In shock, and numb.

In this your darkest hour
You finally see
He wants his cake and
He wants to eat it too.
He wants your support,
Understanding,
And unconditional love,
But never once will he
Return those things to you.

Instead he takes and takes and takes some more
Leaving you sobbing,
Heartbroken,
And waiting by the phone.
He returns over and over and over again
Claiming he still loves you.
But he instead leaves you bare
Battered and alone.

In this your darkest hour
Your eyes are wide open
And you finally see…
He will never love you as you love him,
Even when he pleads with you
On bended knee.
It’s all an act.
It’s all make believe.
It’s time for you to turn your back
And walk away.
No longer letting your heart be deceived.
In your darkest hour
You realize the truths you have ignored
Will truly be what sets your heart free.

In your darkest hour
You will find the peace and light
That will mend your soul.
The wounds laid open for months on end
Will begin to heal
And slowly allow you to become whole.

For now you can wake up from the nightmare
That you had convinced yourself
Was just a dream.
Now you can wake up to find
The one who will put you first,
Love, honor and cherish you…
He will be everything you need.

Dochappycamper
1/23/2010
2am

If I Only Knew

If I only knew that sharing my secrets would be so painful
And bring so many tears,
Would I still share them with you
After all of these years?

If I only knew that my heart would fall
So fast and so hard,
Would I still believe you
When you played the “I love you” card?

If I only knew that my head
Couldn’t control my heart,
Would I have told you years ago
That I loved you right from the start?

If I only knew that the signs telling us
We were meant to be,
Were more than just coincidence
Would I have fought so hard to keep
My love for you my secret fantasy?

If I only knew that your proclaimed feelings
For me were real and true…
Would I have resisted the idea
That she was over you?

If I only knew why you keep going back to her
And the pain she inflicts on your soul,
Would I have given up on our love so easily
Or allowed our passion for each other to overflow?

If I only knew that our time would come
Could I still hold on
Until you were sure
I was your only one?

If I only knew you would live up to
Your promises to start anew,
Would I spend all of my nights
Now dreaming of having to say
The final goodbye to you?

If I only knew what you were thinking,
What your heart was truly feeling…
Could I be strong enough to trust you again
When you claim what has always been yours?
Would I be strong enough to walk away
When you once again become unsure?

If I only knew how it would all turn out…
Would I still love you?

The answer is yes.
Forever…
Without a doubt.

Dochappycamper
1/14/2011

When do you trust again?

2011-07-23T22:30:00.000-07:00

      This question has been weighing heavily on my mind as of late. I have met people throughout the years who always are trusting and give the benefit of the doubt to whoever crosses their path. I used to be one of those people. I used to believe in the fairy tales and love at first sight. I dreamed that someday my prince would come and I would be swept off my feet to live in a beautiful home on a ranch with tons of animals where we would raise our half dozen kids and live happily ever after. Then real life hit me full in the face...multiple times.
      I was the smart girl in school and oh so painfully shy. Even so, I still had dreams about getting my first kiss, going on my first date, going to dances and the prom. As the oldest of six kids, I looked forward to being the first to get to do all of those things. Unfortunately, that was not to be the case. Not only was I the shy one, but "the fat one" as well. Boys didn't look at me as dating material, but more as their best friend, tutor, or a way to get "in" with one of my sisters.
      Now I am not saying that there wasn't a couple boys here and there who really were interested in me for me and not those other things, but they were either too shy to tell me themselves, or I found it hard to believe that they would be interested in me. Why would they when they could have one of my beautiful sisters on their arm? It got a little easier to accept their interest when my sisters were in relationships of their own and no longer available, but there was still that little voice in my head saying "you are not good enough."
I let my guard down when I met and started dating a guy from California. At the time, I was living in my home state of Michigan and basically working 12-14 hour days six days a week. I was burned out and needed a change. When he told me he loved me, I believed him. When he told me he wanted to get married and have more kids with me, I believed him. I wanted that fairy tale and it looked like I was going to get it. Well, the honeymoon was over within a month of me leaving all that I knew behind in Michigan to a very small town in Northern California. After telling me daily that he loved me and couldn't live without me, he suddenly "didn't know what love was anymore." What the hell?
       I gave up everything and ended up with nothing to show for it. I was so ready to move back to Michigan and rebuild my life, but something kept me out here. I didn't want to go back home and admit defeat. So I got myself in the dating game once again. This time, I was not going to be fooled. I just wanted to date and have fun and nothing serious. Good plan, right? Wrong! Are you starting to see a pattern?
      I can hear some of you saying, "Well, maybe you are looking in the wrong place? Maybe you should try to look again at the guys from your past." And wouldn't you know, I did just that. Through the magic of Facebook you can be reunited with old friends and long lost loves. Hours messaging online, texting and phone calls filled my days. I couldn't believe that a guy that I had loved for over twenty-five years would still be interested in me, after all of this time. It was too good to be true, and I should have listened to that little voice in my head that said "run away as fast as you can." Instead I poured out my heart to my long lost friend about all the crap going on in my life particularly the failure of my marriage. I felt lost and alone and this friend was there to pick up the pieces. Unfortunately, after helping me mend my heart, he ripped it out of my chest and smashed it into a gazillion pieces. I had trusted this man with secrets I had never told anyone, and he tossed me aside like a used kleenex.

It's all sounding like one or two of my books...or at least it should be! LOL

      So here I am today, wondering should I let my guard down again or not? Should I give my heart to someone else again and risk getting it damaged beyond repair this time or should I keep it locked up and stay closed off? Is it all worth it?

HELL YES!

Why risk the heartache again? Because without the heartache, there can be no love of a life time. Without the loss, there can't be a "found." If you don't take that chance and trust again, you will never find your now and forever. So jump in with both feet and open your heart to all the possibilities. You just might be surprised who will be right there beside you, holding your hand tight and yelling "Geronimo!"

Common Sense Isn't all the Common

2011-07-22T22:32:00.000-07:00

      Ever have one of those days where you just want to shake people and yell, "What have you been smoking?" As a veterinarian I have had the "pleasure" of experiencing those moments many times through the years. My favorite has always been about a patient I had when I still lived and practiced in Michigan. The adorable terrier puppy was brought in one day for a tick removal. I went into the exam room and asked where the ticks were as I could not find one on his wiggly body.
      The puppy's "Mom" looked at me like I was from outer space. "Well, they are all along his belly. Don't you see them?" She then proceeded to point out the rows of nipples along his abdomen.
      "Those are not ticks. They are nipples."
      "No, he can't have nipples. He is a boy."
      This is where her husband finally pipes up. "Honey, I am a boy and I have nipples."
      The poor woman burst into tears and hugged her dog tight. I thought she was just embarrassed and tried to calm her a bit, but she sobbed even harder. "You don't understand! I've been trying to twist them off for the last two days!"

Ah, the memories are flowing now...
      The answering service paged me at two am. Lucky me, it was my night on call. One of my clients was hysterical on the phone. She had tried to bathe her cat and now he was covered in blood and the owner couldn't find where it was coming from.
      "Mrs. Green, why were you trying to bath Smokey?" I was still a bit groggy and needed her to give more information before I agreed to meet her down at the clinic.
      "Well, you told me he had fleas when we saw you for his appointment this afternoon. I wanted to get rid of the fleas. I couldn't stop thinking about them crawling all over him and me."
       "We put the flea medication on him today. You didn't have to bathe him. The medication would kill all the fleas and as long as you keep applying it monthly, you will help keep Smokey from getting more."
       "Where's all the blood coming from?" I could see her near panic, with her hair in curlers and ready to jump in the car in a flash if I told her to do so.
      "Remember the demonstration today with the flea comb?"
      "Yes."
      "And how the white paper towel turned bloody red when I put the water on the flea dirt from the comb?"
       "Yes, but what's that got to do with Smokey?" I waited a few extra beats and then heard a sharp intake of breath on the other end of the line. "Oh, so the water made all the fleas explode?"     LOL

Here's another one for you...
       "Mr. Avery, you really should have Knuckles neutered soon. He is getting old enough to breed and may decide to take a liking to Gemma."
       "He wouldn't do that. Gemma is his Momma."
       "It doesn't matter to the dogs, Mr. Avery. When Gemma is in heat, Knuckles will be very interested."
       "She won't let him breed her. She's his Momma. That's incest and she knows better."
       Four months later, Gemma is in the clinic for X-rays. "Well, there are at least five puppies in there. Which male did she breed with this time?" I had a good idea, but kept my face neutral.
       "I have no idea, Doc. Ain't been no other dog around but Knuckles. He ain't been with her that way. He's her son!" No matter how I tried to explain it, he wouldn't believe me. When the pups were born and all looked like Knuckles, Mr Avery was still dumbfounded. "Well, the Good Lord must have heard that I wished I had a few more pups like Knuckles and he granted me my wish with an Immaculate Conception."

How many times have you been in the airport behind someone who simply refuses to read the gazillion signs posted throughout the airport about what is allowed and what is not allowed in a carry on bag?
      "I'm sorry but you cannot have the super sized bottle of shampoo and conditioner in your carry on bag. You can only have three ounce containers."
      "I have always been able to bring these with me when I fly. Why wasn't I informed of this?"
      "It's been a regulation since 2001. When was the last time you flew?"
      "1979."

Or the woman who insisted on wearing shoes that laced all the way up her leg and couldn't understand why she had to take them off to go through security?
       "I'm sorry, miss. You will have to remove your shoes and put them in the bin to go through the X-ray."
       "Do you have any idea how long it took me to get these laced up properly? I'm not taking them off."
       "I can't allow you to go any further unless you remove your shoes and put them in the bin to be scanned."
       "I paid $300 for these shoes. I am not letting them out of my sight."
       "Well, you and your shoes can head over to the security area to your right. If you are lucky, you may make the next flight out to your destination."

I know I am not the only one with my laptop out of it's case and in a separate bin to go through the x-ray unit, my shoes and coat off and my ID and boarding pass out, but why the hell am I always stuck behind those people who don't? Finally, why do people who have seats in the back of the plane always try to store their luggage in the bins in the front of the plane? I am thinking that there should be an electric shock given to those people when they try to use a bin over a seat that is not assigned to them. A good shock and an announcement. "Mr. David Johnson has brought on a carry on bag that is too big for the over head bins and has tried to put it in an area where it is not allowed. What do we think of that folks?"

A little public shaming never hurt anyone did it? LMAO

What are some of your experiences where Common Sense is not so common?

First blog!

2011-07-21T19:06:00.000-07:00

Hello all! Welcome to my first blog here at "Not Enough Time in the Day" I have been feeling a bit stressed out as of late so I thought what better title for my blog than that. I may change it later so if you have any suggestions please feel free to drop me a line.

Right now I am getting down to the wire finishing the final edits for my very first novel For the Love of Quinn. It will be the first book in my Now and Forever series and has been my "baby" for the last couple of years. I have started and stopped working on it several times, but finally got it out to the publisher. I was thrilled beyond belief when I received the email saying they wanted me to join their family of authors. What a wonderful group they are too!

Working 10 hour days as a veterinarian and trying to get in time writing has been challenging at times, but somehow I managed. When the idea for a scene strikes, I have to get it down on paper as soon as possible so I don't lose the moment in my head. There is just too much rattling around in there to be perfectly honest! ;) I have learned to make sure that I have at least one little notebook with me at all times to jot down my ideas and then worry about where they will go later. Sometimes it's just a conversation between characters that pops into my head, or a long drawn out narrative of a scene that I want to build upon later. Of course a hell of a lot of those notes and narratives haven't made it out of the notebooks yet, but one day they will!

For the Love of Quinn introduces several characters that will be in the next books of this series and I hope you all come to love them as much as I do. Our heroine, Quinn Hollis is a veterinary surgeon who finds herself in love with two men. Both of them have a hold on her heart, but who wins it in the end remains to be seen. Steve Eischer is the Vegas tycoon who sweeps Quinn off of her feet right from the moment they meet. Jacob Hartley is the classic bad boy who sets her heart and mind racing whenever he is near. She loves them both and when she thinks she has picked the one she wants, the other won't let her go.

So come along! See who you think Quinn should choose and who will end up finding their always and forever in the next books in the series. Oh and of course there will be a lot of hot sex! LOL!