Something to Think About! (It's Sunday!)

"We are all a little weird, and life's a little weird, and when we find someone whose weirdness is compatible with ours, we join up with them and fall in mutual weirdness and call it Love."  

-Dr. Suess 

So find your weird and find mutual weirdness together!!!

Upcoming Release: The Witch's Birthday Brew!

Here is another excerpt from The Witch's Birthday Brew.  It comes out on October 20, 2012!  The best part is that it's FREE!

Elijah threw his hands in the air.  “Okay, I’ll tell you.  Larson’s personal assistant is exactly your type.”
“Type?”
Elijah rolled his eyes before making an hourglass in the air with his hands.  “Curvaceous.  Brown hair, big brown eyes and curves for days.  Exactly your type.”  Damien shook his head.  Elijah playing matchmaker was never a smart idea.  Elijah pulled out his phone and flipped in silence for a few moments before sliding it across the desk.  Damien picked it up, and his cock shot to attention at the picture of the buxom brunette beauty bent slightly over the table, her plump ass on perfect display.  The black sheath dress clung to each curve. “Keep flipping.  I was able to get quite a few discreetly, even some during her impromptu presentation.”
Damien couldn’t deny her beauty.  Brown hair in soft waves that brushed just past her shoulders framed an oval face with large brown eyes.  Her lips were a delicate shade of pink, almost like rose quartz, plumped into a bow shape that begged for kisses.  In addition, the curves that Elijah described earlier, plentiful with bountiful hips and breasts the size of melons, large enough to fill his hands overflowing.  Striving for a cool facade, he slid the phone back to his friend.  “Is the advertising pitch good?”
Elijah sighed and pocketed his phone.  “Yes, Elias.  I believe it will benefit us to pursue this avenue further, but on one condition.”  
“Don’t call me that!  What condition?”  ‘We get Genesis to manage the project.”
“What qualifications does she have, I mean, besides doing her bosses work?”  Damien did not care if she looked good enough to eat business was business.
“She has a Masters in Advertising.”  Damien nodded.  It seemed as if he would meet the voluptuous Genesis after all.  

October 20, 2012!!! It also contains a bonus short story entitled: The Witch's Birthday Gift.  It will be available at Smashwords, All Romance eBooks and my website!!!

Salin's Salvation

For those of you who are Salin's Salvation fans, you'll be happy to know that I've delved back into their world with Maria's Match!  I'm hoping to have this ready for the New Year!  

Thanks so much for taking this journey with me!!!

Cruising through Chapter 3

These are the first paragraphs of Chapter 3 for Surrender Serenity, Saving Celine, and Embracing Ember.  Let's see what's happening in Chapter 3...

Surrender Serenity

“UGH” Serenity cried in frustration as she slammed the telephone down.  Stephanie, her partner for the shift looked over and said, “Well, I take it that didn’t go well?” she said.  

Saving Celine

Celine took a deep breath held it for a few seconds then released.  In with the good and out with the bad.  She slowly opened her eyes as Reed started the car.  She could do this.  Well, maybe she could do this.  She did not understand what set her off, but somehow being in the car with Reed was going to be one of those things.  Blood seemed to pound in her ears, her vision blurred with the tears that threatened to spill over.  Her chest tightening in that familiar way, but it didn’t matter.  Even knowing she was panicking didn’t decrease the effect on her.  She was going to panic anyways.  

Embracing Ember

Ember roused slowly her mind in a fog.  Her hands automatically removed the thing that covered her face.  She blinked but only darkness surrounded her.  There was silence only broken by her breathing.  She forced herself to relax, not to give into the panic that threatened to take over.  She reached forward and her hand met the cool, smooth texture of metal.  She pushed on the top and felt no give.  It is okay Ember just calm down and try to remember what happened.  Her mind provided her with the images of her beating and the remembered pain.  Tears filled her eyes.  She took inventory of her body, trying to feel the damage that had been rendered this time.  She was confused.  There was no pain.  She moved each limb as much as she could in the space provided.  She trailed her hands over her body in an attempt to find the injuries she knew were there.  The panic began to renew when she realized she was naked with just a sheet covering her.  She started beating of the lid of what she could only guess as a coffin.  That bastard buried me alive!   

Wow!  What drama!  

You can purchase each of these books at most retailers, with the exception of Saving Celine which is available at Amazon.  Each is also available for print!

Guest Interview: Riley-Kate Chase

I'm honored to have Riley-Kate Chase, author of Special Treatment, here with me today to answer some questions!  

Q: Hi, Riley, how are you?

A: I'm doing fine!  I'm glad to be here today.

Q: When and why did you begin writing?

A: I had an awesome teacher in junior high school who fed my love of writing and I’ve enjoyed it since then. I took my college English classes before I graduated high school and knew then that it was something I must enjoy.

Q:When did you first consider yourself a writer?

A: I don’t have any degrees or experience so I wouldn’t classify myself as one at all I guess. I enjoy writing but I’m not sure that makes me a writer. I would love to talk to some actual writers and pick their brain though.

Q: What inspired you to write your first book?

A: I’ve always been an avid reader and after reading book upon book, I decided that I could do this. I started it more just to see what would become of it but I felt it ended rather well. I will be the first to admit that I focus on spelling but punctuation is not my strong point. I love to put commas where they do not go and forget to put them where they should. It’s a terrible habit that I’ve never been able to break.

Q: Do you have a specific writing style? 

A: Yes and no. I’d like to try my hand at different genre’s but I will give a big spoiler by letting you know that any book, or attempt at a book, will always end well. I think the world is a depressing enough place with violence, hunger and the like, so books should be an escape; a place to take you away from the stresses of everyday life. 

Q: How did you come up with the title?

A: I thought about it for a while and I love sarcasm and irony. It just seemed to fit.

Q: How much of the book is realistic?

A: Absolutely none of it. My brain is a busy place and my imagination runs on full force a lot of the time. I see things throughout the day and think to myself, “wouldn’t it be sweet if..” or “wouldn’t it be funny if...” and I build off that.

Q: What books have most influenced your life most?

A: I love Pride and Prejudice, Jane Eyre, Little Women and the like. Those were books from a very different time. I love a time when hand holding and subtle gestures meant so much. When just a look from two characters in a book can give you butterflies in your stomach or increase your heart rate.

Q: If you had to choose, which writer would you consider a mentor?

A: That’s a tough one. I guess it would be Jane Austen.

Q: What book are you reading now?
A: I’m rereading several such as The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo and The Hunger Games

Q: Are there any new authors that have grasped your interest?
A: Lauren Dane. She is new to me and has an all American type of writing. I’m a romantic at heart.

Q: What are your current projects?

A: I have one untitled but it is another related to the healthcare field in a completely different way. What can I say? I’m a nurse. It’s what I know.

Q: Do you see writing as a career?

A: I would love to say yes but it’s more of a hobby. With two children, a full time job and two part time jobs, I only write in that odd spare moment of free time.

Q: Do you have to travel much concerning your book(s)?

A: Only as far as my imagination takes me.

Q: Who designed the covers?

A: The wonderful T.J. She is a fellow nurse and writer who takes pity on me and my coverless books. 

Q: What was the hardest part of writing your book? 

A: Finding the uninterrupted time to do it.

Q: Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers?

A: I hope it didn’t suck too bad and to stick with me. I should improve with time and I am open to constructive criticism. Hope you enjoy the book!

Thank you, Riley!  You can find Special Treatment @ Amazon!

Buffalo Wyoming seems like a good place to make a new start. As a city girl, Peyton is looking for somewhere to heal, not physically but emotionally. Working at a small local hospital as a nurse with her boisterous roommate and new best friend, things are going great until one patient and his family turn her life upside down. Mrs. Jacobs begs Peyton to be their live in nurse for a while when they realize that daily treatments will be a requirement for a member of their family. Unable to say no, she moves right in the middle of this ranching family with three grown and handsome sons, a couple of which have their sights set on her. A sizzling romantic roller coaster with a splash of humor ensues when Peyton's sweet nature and inexperience make her a prime target. Will the all time bad boy run when he finds out whats wrong with her?

{Purchase Link}

My Favorite "Literary Works" of All Time (So Far)!!

We've all got our favorites!  This is my list of the top ten favorite works (so far)!

Number 10:  Little Women by Louisa May Alcott (to purchase (FREE))

I first read this book in third grade and then later while a sophomore in high school, and I was amazed at the difference in my perception of the book from the two.  Of course, both times I loved it!

Number 9: The Missing Piece by Shel Silverstein  (Link for Purchase)

This was actually read to us prior to graduation from High School and it stuck with me.  Now, I'm not sure what my peers got from this, but I found myself going...Ahhh!  It's the journey that is important!

Number 8:  The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath (Purchase Link)

This was actually an assignment in the tenth grade no less, but I couldn't put it down!  Was it the happy books that I'd read up until this point in my life?  No.  But it left a lasting effect nonetheless.

Number 7:  The Harry Potter Series by J K Rowling (Purchase Link)

Did you doubt it would be here?  Anyways, I spent countless hours in the world of Hogwarts and the battle between good and evil!  I actually stood in line to buy a copy of the last three books in this series!  (I didn't have an E-Reader then!)

Number 6:  The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis (Purchase Link)

What's not to love about a parallel world to our own in which children become kings and queens?  During elementary and junior high, there was nothing better.  

Number 5:  Annabel Lee by Edgar Alan Poe (Purchase Link)

This wasn't his first work that I read in school, but it was the one that I memorized.  I have many favorites of his, but this one is my absolute favorite!

Number 4:  Summer of the Monkeys by Wilson Rawls  (Purchase Link)

When a kid tries to capture circus monkeys that are loose in the river bottom chaos ensues!  What can go wrong with monkeys, a fourteen year old and moonshine?

Number 3: Demon's Captive by Stephanie Snow (Purchase Link)

This was my first taste of erotic romance and anything remotely related to this genre.  Needless to say, it started a chain reaction!

Number 2:  Slave Boy by Evangeline Anderson (Purchase Link)

Like Demon's Captive was my first erotic romance, Slave Boy was my first m/m.  I was already eating Evangeline Anderson's books like cereal for breakfast, so i just searched her name on Amazon and bought everything.  With this one book I expanded my horizons.

Number 1:  Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck (Purchase Link)

What is there to say about Of Mice and Men?  It was well worth the first read and more than deserving of the countless re-reads I put my book through.  WARNING: Tearing up at the end is unavoidable!

What are your favorites?

Laughter! Just What the Doctor Ordered!

Laughter is probably one of the things I do most!  I love to laugh and I have a wide sense of humor.  What does that mean?  I find lots of things funny.  From dry humor to immature!  I think I'm blessed to have such a great sense of humor!  

So, what is your sense of humor?

Laughter: The science behind it...

It all starts in the limbic system (The part of the brain that is involved in emotional and motivational behaviors.)  Something triggers our laughter and I won't go into all the details, but scientists have theories on what we find funny. (Check out source article for more info on that)  So why don't we all think the same things are funny?  Scientists say it's a cultural thing and the most defining factor seems to be age.  Makes sense, right?  Think about that show that you thought was hilarious as a child, pre-teen or young adult and now think about them now.  Are they still as funny? 

No matter the reason, the theories and other stuff, we do get certain health benefits from laughing.  For example, laughter helps to balance the immune system.  We've all heard that laughter is the best medicine!  So, now that you know...Laugh a little bit more!

Source: How Stuff Works

Article on why we laugh: Click HERE to read!

Congratulations!

Congrats to all the winners in the contest for a free copy of State of Unrest!!  Find more contests at The Romance Reviews (link).  Thanks to all that entered!

Insecurity (Repost)

Insecurities can plague us at any time.  They can be as simple as being self-conscious about your weight or hair, or can even be more complex encompassing any wide range of emotional or physical factors.  Let's take a closer look at insecurity and how it plagues the everyday existence of some of the characters of my books!

Definition:

Lack of confidence or assurance; self-doubt

Source:  Dictionary.com

In Embracing Ember, we catch up with Anna who displays an insecurity that is in part due to a trait she admires in her friend, Serenity.  

Anna looked at Kylan who beamed with pride, but he didn’t know how panicked Anna was.  Anna was a labor, delivery nurse, sure, her job was important, and she took pride in that job.  Yeah she had read a few articles on fertility, had even volunteered her time at a fertility clinic for the extra education, but help with research – she wasn’t so sure about that.  

“Um, I think maybe you need someone else for this job.  Serenity may not be a labor and delivery nurse, but I believe she would be better suited for this.  I just…I, well.  I’m just not as smart as she is,” she said her voice cracking at the end.  She would never have told Serenity or even hinted to the fact but she felt insecure with her intelligence, especially with Serenity.  She loved Serenity, but it didn’t stop her from feeling inadequate in intelligence when Serenity was just so damn smart.  She hated herself for that jealousy and had tried to beat it down, especially since Serenity had never thrown it in her face when she didn’t understand things.

Now, let's take a look at Serenity's views on Anna.  Serenity is a curvy female and at times can be insecure with her weight, but there is a deeper insecurity that Serenity suffers.

Serenity let out a sigh then said, “Look, Anna, I know you mean well, but I bet this guy has no idea what I look like.  That will be awkward.  I mean, he will just assume that I will be pretty like you, and when he meets me, he will be disappointed.  I just cannot do that.  I will be embarrassed and you know I get angry when I get embarrassed.  Then you know I’ll say things that I will regret later while stuffing my face with everything that doesn’t run fast enough.”

Last, but certainly not least, let's take a look at a very simple insecurity that I believe most people suffer from.  In The Witch's Birthday Brew, Genesis's insecurity revolves around her curvaceous figure and something else???  

Sure thing Mr. Slime bucket!  Lucky for that prick his wife never called.  Genesis may be a pushover in some things, but one thing she wasn’t going to do was lie to the man’s wife.  Especially while he was screwing the beach blonde bimbo with fake tits that always looked down her nose at Genesis. 

Genesis didn’t have a problem with blondes, not even the boxed kind.  She didn’t even have a problem with fake tits.  Hell if you could afford them, then get them.  However, she did have a problem with the snaggletooth bitch calling her a whale.  Not everyone could be skinny.  Some people were a size eighteen and enjoyed eating. 

As for my insecurities...Well, they're mine and I'm working on them.  ;)!

Remember that these books are available on Amazon, Smashwords, and All Romance Ebooks!!!!  The Witch's Birthday Brew will be available for FREE!!!!!

Something to Think About

"A rose without thorns is like love without heartbreak; it doesn't make sense."  -Unknown

Do you believe that in order to love truly one must know heartbreak?  I've known many people that believe this, and I must say that in a way it holds a lot of sense.  However, I do believe one can love without heartbreak.  Look at how we love our parents.  So, can you love without first knowing heartbreak?  Hmm....

Upcoming Release: The Witch' s Birthday Brew

So what does a witch do when she's lonely?  Brew up the perfect man, of course!

Excerpt!  (I always enjoy them!)

“You found the documents,” Genesis said failing to keep the incredulity from bleeding into her tone.  Genesis rubbed her forehead attempting to ease the headache that was building in intensity.  “Mr. Larson, if you found the documents, why didn’t you call me and let me know?”

“I’m a busy man, Miss Welch.  I didn’t have time.  Besides, there is something that I need for you to do.”  Genesis took a deep breath and prayed to the goddess for patience.  Only her ingrained moral compass kept her from turning this evil, slimy man into a toad.

“Are you listening to me Miss Welch?”  Genesis shook her head shaking the thoughts of turning the middle-aged balding Account Director into a toad.  She couldn’t do it.  It was too risky.  Oh yeah, and it’s wrong!

Why this excerpt and not a steamy scene (Yeah, there's plenty of those.  I promise!!)?  Well, I know that I've felt like turning a boss into a toad before.  Haven't you? 

The Witch's Brew will be released to Smashwords, All Romance eBooks, and will also be available on my website on October 20, 2012!  Guess what the best news of all is.  It's FREE!!!!

Special thanks to Book Graphics for the cover design!!!

Don't forget I always love to hear from you!!!!

Visit me @ my website

Email me @ astridcieloauthor@hotmail.com

My arch nemesis: The Comma!

Let's face it we all have that one grammar or usage 'thing' that we misuse, abuse or don't understand.  Well, I have several, but today's focus is on the comma.

I first met the comma in English class, so many years ago!  Since then we've had a love/hate relationship.  I would either use the comma too much or I wouldn't use it enough.  However, with a punctuation mark with so many rules, how can I not have issues with it?  

The comma's sordid history:

It has a history?  Yes, yes it does.  With this much baggage, this punctuation mark most definitely has a history.

So, according to Wikipedia (link :)), around the third century BC a guy by the name of  Aristophanes of Byzantium created some new system using dots.  They were used to help the reader take breaths at certain points in his works depending on the local of the dots.  The komma (no it's not a typo), was a dot placed in the center of a line.  So, I'm guessing had it not evolved it would look something like this:

John· can you please hand me the broom?

But evolve it did.  Sometime in the thirteenth to seventeenth centuries, the slash / was used instead of the komma (still not a typo!).  That eventually became this little darling (,).  As you can guess, the name comma stuck!

The comma's many rules:

• Use in the separation of lists.
• Example: I want pancakes, sausage, and eggs.
• Example 2: I spoke with the bosses, Mary and Tom.
• Example 3: I spoke with the bosses, Mary, and Tom.
• Some writing guides do not require the final comma in a list before and, or, etc. and some do.
• Use in dates.
• October 20, 2012
• However, should any portion of the date be left out, then don't use the comma.  October 2012
• Alternatively, if the date is written as such, 20 October 2012, then the comma isn't necessary, because the month separates the day and the year.
• Use in the separation of clauses.
• You use the comma to separate independent from dependent clauses (strong and weak?)  
• Once upon a time, an evil witch lived in a castle.
• An evil witch lived in a castle once upon a time.
• See what I did there?  No?  I'll admit this took me a while and I still find myself screwing this up.  If the clause can stand on its own and it appears at the beginning of the sentence, then it should be offset with a comma.  In the sentence above 'Once upon a time' cannot stand on its own.  However, 'an evil witch lived in a castle' could live without 'Once upon a time,' therefore, if 'Once upon a time' comes at the end, then no comma is needed to separate it! (Phew!)
• Use when two adjectives are placed together without a conjunction.
• The girl is honestly and humbly sorry. - or - The girl is honestly, humbly sorry.
• Use to surround or set off a name.
• John, will you hand me that broom? Now, if I said this -John will hand me that broom, then I am no addressing John, but simply telling something about John.

The list goes on and on and on..

Here are a couple of interesting videos I found on youtube about the comma.  Apparently, I am not the only one with issues!  

While corny, it does explain the rules.  I thought it was cute!

This one is more funny than helpful, but I just couldn't resist including it!

My favorite website about grammar and usage:

www.grammarbook.com

Happy Friday!

Spotlight on State of Unrest

Here is another excerpt from State of Unrest!  

“He’s your mate?”  Abigail asked quietly, though she knew the answer. 

“Yes, Ma’am,” Melanie whispered, her voice laced with despair.  Abigail closed her eyes, thinking back to the mating lecture that her mother subjected her to on her twenty-first birthday.

“Abigail when you find your mate, your wolf will let you know.  For each changeling, it is the same, upon meeting their mate the urges begin.  Denying them is futile, because in the end the pain of your soul reaching for that one person who will complete you.  With that comes the need to claim them, sexually.  You won’t be able to help yourself,” her mother had stated with a flush staining her cheeks. 

Abigail nodded.  She knew what had to be done.  Melanie had no choice, for changelings, denying their destined mate was a slow spiral into death.  “Melanie, how are you feeling?”

“It’s beginning to hurt, Ma’am,” she said as her hands found her abdomen, her posture bending slightly into the pain. 

“There is only one solution, Melanie, and please start calling me Abigail.  I believe after tonight we can call each other by our first names.  I need you to control yourself long enough to get to your room,” Abigail muttered releasing Melanie’s hand and jumping from the bed.

“Please, Abigail, I don’t want to die.  I didn’t mean for this to happen!”  Melanie cried out, tears trailing down her cheeks. 

“Oh, now none of that, Melanie.  I need you to be strong.  I am going to find Andrew, and bring him to you.  I’m not going to kill you.”

“But your father will,” Melanie stated as if it were a law.

State of Unrest, Book 1 of the Chronicles of JJ is available at:

Amazon

Smashwords

All Romance eBooks

Also until September 24, 2012 you can enter to win one of three copies of State of Unrest!  Follow this link!

Oops!!!

Take a look at this book cover:


Now did you notice anything off?

That's right Chronicles is misspelled! I didn't notice it until I showed a proof copy of the print book to coworkers. It went through six female hands before a male EMT at first glance said, "you know chronicles isn't spelled right."

Everyone thought it was pretty funny and so did I.
Thank goodness it was caught prior to publishing.


State of Unrest is available at Amazon, Smashwords and All Romance eBooks. Don't forget to enter for your chance to win a free copy at www.theromancereviews.com.

When Love Heals: Embracing Ember Excerpt

In Embracing Ember, the second book of the Salin's Salvation series, we meet Ember who is a victim of abuse.  She was the victim of physical, verbal and sexual abuse at the hands of her husband, Landon. Ceylon's appearance in her life ensures her survival after she is beaten mercilessly by the one person supposed to love her.  So, can love heal those who have been subjected to such abuse?  Outside the pages of fiction, I am sure there are examples where love conquered all.  However, in Embracing Ember can Ceylon, who has his own grief to deal with, help Ember to heal?

Enjoy an excerpt!

     Ceylon took in Ember’s profile, her flame red hair that normally brushed past her shoulders was pulled into a ponytail with tendrils of hair flying haphazardly around her head. Her hands worked expertly with the paintbrush, her bottom lip held hostage between her teeth. She seemed alive, more alive than he ever remembered seeing her. She had come a long way since her brush with death. From the shy and fearful female that jumped at every turn, to the exuberant female before him.

Embracing Ember is available @ Amazon, Smashwords, All Romance eBooks, 

Something to Think About

"Our Critics are our friends; they show us our faults."  Benjamin Franklin

I saw this quote and I knew it was for me!!!!  When I first self-published Surrender Serenity I did not realize how much went into it.  To be honest, I just wanted to see if something I had always wanted to do was something that I could do.  Some of the reviews were about my editing.  I heard them loud and clear!  I took those books I first placed out there and combed over them to fix there many mistakes.  (There were lots of them)  Now looking at this quote, I can see the wisdom in the words.  Thanks to those who pointed out what I obviously did not take seriously I now have better books.  

This can also be applied to work (not just writing).  As a nurse, my bosses feedback and criticism is important to me.  It helps me to become a better patient advocate and caregiver.  I take my job as a nurse seriously, and sometimes the criticism of a patient is what is necessary to make me realize that something needs to be changed.  

I hope I left you with something to think about!

Win State of Unrest!!!

Check out The Romance Reviews for info on how you can win 1 of 3 eBooks for State of Unrest!!!! There is a link right here on this blog!!

Survey and more Stuff!

I like surveys (sometimes)!  But this one I did take because I felt it was important. (Not politics or social reform important, but eBooks important).  It's easy to do also.  Here are the details!

Go to www.allromanceebooks.com or click here.

The survey will pop open automatically.

The All Romance team is exploring issues about DRM and sharing.  It also asked some questions about how you read your eBooks (Kindle, iPad, print them out, whatever...)

Also I've decided to start posting at least every other day (my goal is daily) and not just goofy self-promotion stuff, but a short story here and interesting stuff I find in my research there.  So check back often! 

As Always I'd love to hear from you!

www.astridcielo.com

email me @ astridcieloauthor@hotmail.com

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(Right now there is a contest going on!  See my contest page on my website for more details!)

Upcoming Releases!

A Game of Cat & Mouse has been submitted for editing!  I am patiently waiting for its return to publish!

A Witch's Birthday Brew is a free story I've set for Release on 10/20/12 (If all goes well!)

Here is the Book Trailer!

Also here is the cover!:

This cover was done by: Book Graphics!

As always I'd love to hear from you!

www.astridcielo.com