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Excerpt:

Travis smiled at her, unwinding his headphones.

“What did you bring to listen to?”

Travis took one ear-bud out, nestling into his wife’s ear. Cara listened for a few moments, her nose wrinkling, and handed the ear-bud back to Travis.

“All-righty, then. Wake me when we land.”

The flight to Vienna passed, Cara sleeping away most of the hours while Travis listened to a series of math and physics lectures. Waiting in baggage claim, Travis pulled out one of his ever-present small notebooks from an inner pocket in his favorite worn leather jacket, deep in thought while he scribbled a series of formulas across several pages, stopping only when he glanced towards the luggage carousel to scan for their bags and caught his wife’s scowl in his peripheral vision.

“I’m done, I promise.” Travis gave Cara a quick kiss while he tucked the notebook away.

Once the couple collected their luggage, Cara headed towards the metro to catch the next train passing close to their hotel, but Travis reached for her, turning her face in the direction of a limousine service instead.

“What’s this?”

Travis set their bags down, pulling another small notebook from his pocket, this one encased in a worn, red-leather cover.

Cara laughed. “Ah, our own personal ‘bucket list.’”

Travis smiled at her again. “Remember when we started this?”

Cara held out her hand, thumbing through the pages. “Our honeymoon. You thought the most appropriate list of experiences for the two of us to complete in our lifetimes was a list of sexual ones. I thought you’d tossed this when you started STAR Ops.”

“Nope. Check out one of your last entries – page 53, dated June twelfth, five years ago today.”

Cara flipped to the page. “Full carnal knowledge, moving vehicle, high probability of someone watching or listening,” she read out loud, blushing a bit.

“Too much champagne that night,” Cara said, laughing, handing the notebook back to Travis. “Besides, that ‘high probability’ bit you added – I don’t write math-speak, darlin’, and I’d recognize your handwriting anywhere.” Unlike Cara’s scrawl, Travis wrote with computer-like precision; his handwriting, for as long as Cara remembered, looked like something typed out on a miniature keyboard.

“Oh no, you don’t,” Travis murmured, picking up their suitcases again. “You aren’t getting off the hook that easy.” He raised one eyebrow in Cara’s direction and nodded to the limo driver standing with the passenger door open. “Get in.”

Cara slid into one seat, her back to the electric window separating them from the driver, Travis taking the seat across from her after he finished giving the driver directions. Cara saw a slight smile crossing the driver’s face and she blushed again, smoothing her skirt over her knees.

Travis leaned over and raised the privacy window, leaving about a three-quarter inch gap; then he reached to open the sunroof and drop the passenger windows down half-way. “Traffic on our route moves slow – someone besides just the driver is likely to hear or see something.” He grinned at his wife.

“You’re serious?” Cara asked, working to hold onto her composure while Travis’ hands slid up past her knees.

“Why else would I ask you to wear a skirt on an international flight? We’ve already done the mile-high thing, more than once,” Travis murmured, wrapping his fingers around the waistband of her thong, sliding the lacy black garment down Cara’s curves.

Cara caught her breath, watching Travis toss her panties on the seat next to him. Any lingering inhibitions went right out the semi-open windows when he pulled her onto his lap, looking deep into her eyes. Cara thought how long it had been since she saw Travis’ face so care-free, so in-the-moment; she surrendered to his touch, caught up in a joie-de-vive she had ever only experienced with this man. Her man.

Done talking, Travis unbuttoned Cara’s blouse, sliding his thumbs across her nipples, his mouth open now, his tongue following his hands across the filmy material covering her breasts. His kiss — sweet and soft, hard and demanding, all at the same time – left her breathless, and so wet; Cara knew, no doubt, before they arrived at their hotel, Travis would be in her. It was just a question of how long Cara could stand to keep him – and herself — waiting.

Cara straddled Travis’ legs now, running her own hands across his chest, his nipples, down to the waistband of his jeans. She heard him catch his breath, watching her slide her palm along the erect length of his cock, Cara’s own breathing keeping pace with his while Travis slid his left hand back under up her skirt. Travis smiled now, his fingers stroking her wet pussy, whatever barrier provided by the thin material of her panties gone.

Cara bit her lower lip, feeling Travis’ breath on her face, his fingers pressing firmer now, stroking her clit, sliding deep in her. The sounds and brief glimpses of the city streets through the open windows receded. Cara let herself go; she had yearned for these few precious days alone with her husband, waited for three long years to see the lines in his face smooth away, to see that familiar ready grin she had first fallen in love with reflect back in the steady gaze of his eyes, no other care crowding his thoughts except to please her….

“I want to feel your cum on my fingers,” Travis murmured, never taking his gaze from her face, watching her abandon any pretext of control at the start of this first orgasm crashing so fast, so hard. That amazing warmth in Travis’ eyes turned so dark now while he felt her pushing hard against his fingers’ insistent caress, Cara watching his brown eyes deepen into that familiar black whenever he made love to her.

Purchase direct from Pink Petal Books.

There are some things in the marketing world which we set once and generally don’t think about again. Our email signature and the biography which we use in books and on our website are two primary things. However, these are also two items which readers, vendors, and others tend to gloss over, unless they’re intrusive. (I’ve spoken about that before, and even offered a class on email signatures.)

So, since these are two very generic aspects of our marketing. Make them stand out. Switch them up.

If you’ve been using the same bio for over a year, or even six months, it’s time to look at it again. After all, within that time more books may have been published or awards might have been won. It’s always a good idea to take a look at your biography and update it with each new, or every couple of releases. Focuses change, and sometimes it’s good to simply use the bio as an opportunity to highlight an older release. Of course, don’t forget to always mention your website and where you can be found on social media.

Email signatures should be easier to update. If you’re using a standard formula of name, tag line, website url, latest release, buy link, then the signature is going to change every time you release a new book. But even if it’s been a couple of months since the last release, you can still update your signature. Even something as simple as rearranging the lines will make it “fresh” for new views.

We should always be thinking about how to change up our image and our promo so readers can always feel like they’re seeing something new, even when they’re looking at something as ubiquitous as your email signature.

Okay, no recipe today, but it’s a fun food nonetheless. I like blue jello. I had a friend once that told me outside of blueberries, no blue foods were natural. (This was when I was enjoying a blue raspberry Mr. Misty Freeze from Dairy Queen.) Ever since that conversation, as I thoroughly enjoyed the ice cream and slushy mix, I’ve always gone out of my way to find blue food.

She’s right, you know? The bowl of blue jello in my fridge, while looking very oceanic and reminding me of water, really doesn’t look natural. Then again, I don’t think jello looks “right” anyway. It’s all jiggly and wiggly and oh-so-fun to eat.

So imagine my glee when I discovered one of our local grocery store chains has sugar free berry blue jello. I was in heaven! Give me a bowl of sugar free jello, put some cool whip free (okay so that’s just whipped chemicals, but it’s good) on top, and I’m happy.

I know, I know, I try to eat natural. I am on a “get chemicals out of my meals” kick. (My mom gets lovingly grumbly at me when I call her Diet Coke cans o’ chemicals) But still, I cannot resist blue jello.

What foods can’t you resist?

by Shoshauna P Thomas

Editor’s Note: This is part 2 of an article, which began yesterday here: https://pinkpetalbooks.com/blog/2012/02/23/plural-marriage-in-the-us-part-12/

All of this research had my mind a buzz and the first question that came to mind was why the first amendment, freedom to practice their religion, didn’t protect the Mormon’s right to practice polygamy?  A man name George Reynolds from Utah asked the same question.  He was an LDS member who was charged with bigamy under the Morril Anti-Bigamy Act after he married Amelia Jane Schofield while he was still legally married to Mary Ann Tuddenham.  Reynolds was indicted by a grand jury in 1974 and convicted in 1975.  He was sentenced to two years hard labor in prison in addition to a five hundred dollar fine.  Reynolds filed an appeal with the Utah Territorial Supreme Court and in 1876 the court decided to uphold his original sentence.  Most likely when he was finally finished serving his time in prison he and his family still suffered as the state of Utah has a history of separating the husband, the wives, and the children.  The practice of separating the entire family is one of the major fears every polygamist family face and another reason why they continue to live their polygamist lifestyle in secret.

In the case Reynolds v. United States, the court’s argument was that the first amendment defended religious belief, but not religious action.  Making the correlation that if they allowed the practice of polygamy due to religious belief that someone in the future could argue they’re allowed to practice human sacrifice as a necessary part of their religious belief.  The court also made a point to call attention to the fact that a person could only be married to one person had existed since the time of King James I of England in English law and the United States law was based upon the English ones.

It seemed like the more I learned about the laws passed against polygamy the more ignorant and discriminatory they seemed to me.  Putting these laws into effect in an attempt to stop bigamy, people entering into another marriage while they’re still married to someone else and neither of the spouses are aware of the other, is understandable.  They help protect the people who end up married to con artists, determined to rip them off, and unfaithful deceitful partners who live double lives.  But preventing polygyny, polyandry, and group marriages isn’t fair.  Whether the people are involved because of their religious beliefs or they simply happened to love multiple people at the same time and their partners fell in love with them too and don’t mind sharing.  I don’t see a problem.  If everyone involved are well aware of the situation and they choose it anyway why should the government stand in the way of their happiness?  Just because it isn’t the social norm of the time doesn’t mean it’s wrong.

The old argument of condoning polygamy could lead to condoning human sacrifice is nonsense.  Even those against polygamy today know that argument is weak which is why they don’t use it today.  And the argument that the United States law is based on the English law is even more laughable.  That argument should’ve been shelved a long time ago.  Didn’t the original pilgrims first come to America to escape English law and to practice their religion freely without the interference of government?  I wonder what they would say if they were still around watching their ancestors campaign against the LDS when their religion still called for them to practice polygamy?  Not to mention didn’t the U.S. revolt against England rule when they no longer wanted to be a colony?  So why years later is a court saying a law based off an older English one makes it more valid than the first amendment of the constitution that our forefathers created to govern our own land?

Today the proponents against legalizing polygamy aren’t using the same old arguments to support their stance, but instead have a whole new one.  They believe that polygamy encourages child abuse and they support it with references to the instances where older men marry underage children.  Something that we often heard about today happening on secluded religious compounds.  Hearing about prophets, underage women forced to marry men old enough to be their grandfather, and the abuse suffered by both women and children on these compounds was all over the news.  For many Americans it was the first and only impressions they had about fundamental Mormons, compounds, and polygamy.  It wasn’t until television shows like Big Love and Sister Wives became instant hits did the public begin to see a different side to polygamy.  They made people realize that not all fundamental Mormons are the same.  To me this makes complete since as we all know different churches that subscribe to the same religion can still have different practices.  Just because two people have the same bible doesn’t mean they’ll get the same message from reading the same scriptures.

Personally I don’t believe legalizing polygamy will promote child abuse.  I believe the opposite will happen.  The more light shined on those who abuse children in the name of religion the more will be caught and the children saved.  And those whose religion has been unjustly lumped together with false prophets, pedophiles, and abusers will finally get the chance for the world to see their religion is different.  So in the future it will be easier for others to make the distinction and they’ll be able to continue to practice their religion freely, in peace, and without fear.  During my research I was glad to find I wasn’t the only one to feel this way as I read Wendy Kaminer’s very interesting Article, Why is Polygamy Illegal?, posted on The Council for Secular Humanism website.

Don’t get me wrong.  I’m certainly not an anarchist.  I absolutely believe that for the greater good we need laws to govern us as a people, but I also believe that just as the times change so should the laws we live by.  If that weren’t true women wouldn’t be allowed to vote, schools would still be segregated, and slavery would still be in affect.  Whether for religious reasons or not I believe a person should have the right to marry who they want as well as how many they want.  As long as all parties involved are not only aware and approve, but want the arrangement.  If marrying multiple people is what everyone involved wants and they aren’t hurting anyone then what’s the harm?  Another reason I believe I’m not the only one who feels this way is a little closer to home.  The popularity of men and women falling in love and living happily ever after with multiple partners in books has continued to grow.  Making the ménage or more genre a fan favorite.  Apparently some authors as well as some avid readers have no problem imagining or understanding polygamist relationships.  If they didn’t the genre wouldn’t be as accepted as it is.  And it is often the case that today’s fiction is tomorrow’s reality.  With that said I have high hopes for the laws of tomorrow.

 

 

Reference Links:

 

Definitions from Wikipedia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polyamory

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polygamy#Group_marriage

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morrill_Anti-Bigamy_Act

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reynolds_v._United_States

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legal_status_of_polygamy#North_America

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bigamy

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poland_Act

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endowment_house

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_utah#Polygamy

 

Article: Why is Polygamy illegal by Wendy Kaminer

http://www.secularhumanism.org/index.php?section=library&page=kaminer_28_5

 

Info about the Author:

            Shashauna P. Thomas graduated from Cornell University and SUNY Stony Brook with two BAs’ before returning to the Bronx where she was born and raised.  It wasn’t until after college that she first began writing erotic romances for open call submissions.  That is when she discovered that writing was her true passion and she’s been crafting the vivid tales she sees in her head ever since.  With the love and support of family, friends, and her sorority sisters the D.I.V.A.S. of Lambda Fe Usöñ Sorority Inc. she has had a number of her erotic stories published.  One of her greatest hopes is that her stories inspire her readers to be open-minded and to not be afraid to try new things.  And most importantly to follow their hearts no matter where it leads them.

 

Deck the Halls: https://pinkpetalbooks.com/Deck-The-Halls-by-Shashauna-P.-Thomas.html

Her website: http://sptpassions.weebly.com.

Her facebook page: .

Her Blog on Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/shashaunapthomas

 

by Shoshauna P. Thomas

Editor’s note: This is an indepth nonfiction look at polygamy and plural marriage in the US presented with the hope that readers and authors alike find it interesting.

‘The heart wants what the heart wants’ and ‘you can’t help who you love’ are two common phrases that everyone has heard at least once in their lives.  And I, for one, believe them whole heartedly.  History from all over the world is littered with fictional and non-fictional tales of unexpected or unconventional love.  Yet in spite of this common knowledge there are still people and institutions that continue to try and regulate matters of the heart.  Especially when the realm of marriage enters into the equation.  Who isn’t and is allowed to marry varies all over the world.  Government, religion, or some combination of the two tends to dictate the laws set in different countries.  One would think that in a country known for freedom of religion, a melting pot of race, creeds, and colors from all over the world, and has slogans such as ‘Home of the Free’ and ‘The Land of Opportunity’ would be the exception, but its not.

Despite being American myself, I’ve never been big on the political ins and outs of the U.S. in the past.  There wasn’t any specific reason for it other than political science never did hold much of my interest.  It wasn’t until recently did something finally spark my interest.  There has been a lot of news coverage and attention brought to the hot topic of legalizing gay marriage.  Just as there are a number of supporters for it there seems to be just as many against.  One reoccurring argument against legalizing gay marriage is that it will open the door to legalizing polygamy.  I’ve always believed gay marriage should’ve been legalized a long time ago, but hearing some speak of legalizing polygamy as if it were a bad thing really struck a cord with me.  What’s so wrong with polygamy?  Why not legalize it?  My interest and my ire officially peaked I began researching both polygamy as well as what was the exact laws that made it illegal in the United States.  Not to mention what was the reasoning behind the law in the first place.

It wasn’t until I delved into polygamy, a marriage that includes more than two partners, that I learned there were specific terms for the different forms of polygamy that exist.  The most commonly practiced and well-known form is polygyny.  This is when a man is married to multiple women at one time and there is no marital bond between the women except the shared husband of course.  Another form is polyandry, when a woman is married to multiple men at the same time and there is no marital bond between the men except for their shared wife.  Lastly, but certainly not least, is the form group marriage where there are multiple marital bonds within the marriage; multiple husbands and wives.  Polyamory; the practice, desire, or acceptance of having more than one intimate relationship at a time falls under this form of polygamy.  One very important and common thread that these forms of polygamy share is the knowledge and consent of everyone involved.  To me this is an important distinction from bigamy, which is the act of entering into another marriage while still legally married to someone else and neither of the spouses are aware of the other.

Prior to my research I was always under the impression that the laws originally passed by the U.S. government to prevent bigamy were unfairly being used to make polygamy, in all it’s forms, illegal as well.  Simply because it challenged the past social norms that marriage was only between one man and one woman.  Another example of an outdated law based off of ancient thinking that hadn’t yet changed with the times, though I fully believed it would eventually.  Yet here we are, 2012, and we still have some who clinging to these out of date laws in hope of preventing change.

Two big laws that made polygamy illegal in the United States are the Morril Anti-Bigamy Act and the Edmunds Act.  In July 1862, Morril Anti-Bigamy Act was passed and this Act made polygamy a misdemeanor.  It wasn’t until March 1882 that the Morril Anti-Bigamy Act was reinforced by the passing of the Edmunds act making polygamy a felony.  Of course there were other bills aimed at polygamy, like the Wade, Cragin, and Cullom bills that never made it pass Congress.  And the Poland Act, passed in 1874, was used to help prosecute polygamists under the Morril Anti-Bigamy Act which they tried to use to eliminate the control members of the LDS (The Church of Jesus Christ and Latter-day Saints) exerted over the justice system in Utah.  The only problem was that many of the members they wished to prosecute were married before the passing of the bill and thus couldn’t be tried.  Moreover, the wives couldn’t be forced to testify against their husbands and the plural marriage records were kept private in the LDS’ Endowment House.  Which is where all the information most likely stayed until 1887 when the Edmunds-Tucker Act was passed effectively disincorporating the LDS church and allowing the federal government to seize all of Endowment House’s assets.

From what I can gather most of the anti-bigamy bills passed were apart of the U.S. federal governments anti-polygamy campaign directed at the LDS church and their control over the justice system in Utah.  They passed all of these bills in an attempt to force the LDS to abandon the practice of polygamy.  Even denying Utah’s application for statehood.  In the end they won and the LDS officially abolished the practice of polygamy in 1890 in an official document called The Manifesto.  In 1895 when Utah applied again for statehood it was finally approved, but one of the conditions for statehood was a ban against polygamy being written into the Utah state constitution.  Having gone through so much in the past I now understand better why it is so important to present day LDS members that a clear distinction is made between them and fundamental Mormons who still practice polygamy secretly.

To be continued…

Info about the Author:

Shashauna P. Thomas graduated from Cornell University and SUNY Stony Brook with two BAs’ before returning to the Bronx where she was born and raised.  It wasn’t until after college that she first began writing erotic romances for open call submissions.  That is when she discovered that writing was her true passion and she’s been crafting the vivid tales she sees in her head ever since.  With the love and support of family, friends, and her sorority sisters the D.I.V.A.S. of Lambda Fe Usöñ Sorority Inc. she has had a number of her erotic stories published.  One of her greatest hopes is that her stories inspire her readers to be open-minded and to not be afraid to try new things.  And most importantly to follow their hearts no matter where it leads them.

 

Deck the Halls: https://pinkpetalbooks.com/Deck-The-Halls-by-Shashauna-P.-Thomas.html

Her website: http://sptpassions.weebly.com.

Her facebook page: .

Her Blog on Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/shashaunapthomas

 

 

There’s been some talk lately about the next new, cutting edge frontier off erotic romance writing. There are, after all, very few “taboos” left to cross before we venture into territory that I think most of us would rather not travel within the context of a romance novel. Some have suggested that lesbian romances are the next “it” thing, ready to go onto the scene. I’ve heard talk about Menage plus, too.

I think, in a world where romantic love has very few bounds, that there shouldn’t be a frontier. There might, perhaps, be genres, such as steampunk or futuristic which might have an audience that could be expanded. (Come on, who doesn’t love a good romance set on a space ship? We all fantasized about Captain Picard or Captain Sisko, didn’t we?) There might be pairings which should appeal to a wider audience, but for whatever reason haven’t found their footing yet with readers. But as a publisher that believes that love is a beautiful thing, and we don’t put any asterisks behind it, seeing anything as a “frontier” can be dangerous.

Why? Read more »

The Millionaire’s Fake Fiancee
by Rita Sawyer
contemporary erotic romance
novel, approx. 50000 words

Harley Taizer wasn’t used to dealing with her greedy parents. They’d never wanted her and had made it perfectly clear by giving her to her grandfather the day she’d been born. It’s funny how things change when money is involved. Discovering her trust fund, her parents show up demanding she give them the money. Afraid of just how far his son and daughter in-law will go, her grandfather brings in a security specialist to help.

Kasper Drake hasn’t met a trust fund baby he liked, though he is one himself. Upon meeting his uncle’s newest client he’s willing to throw all his preconceived notions out the window. He’s trying to get Harley to admit to their fierce attraction when her father shows up demanding to know Kasper’s identity. She tells him that he’s her fiancée. Kasper latches onto her lie hoping to make her see how good it could be.

Purchase Direct From Pink Petal Books

Excerpt:

Going to her dresser, she grabbed a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt, dropping them onto the bed. She undid her trousers, letting them slide to the floor, and kicking them aside. She had her shirt halfway over her head, when she heard the door slam behind her. She jumped, emitting a little squeal as she turned her head. She was surprised to find Kasper standing there staring at her. Yanking the shirt the rest of the way off, she held it to her chest, spinning around. He smiled, and it infuriated her.

“Get out.” She pointed to the door with her hand that happened to be holding the shirt, exposing herself.

Gasping, she quickly covered herself again, waiting for him to leave. His eyes flashed as he leaned back against the door, crossing his arms over his broad chest. Unable to stop herself from looking, she lowered her eyes to his zipper. Seeing that he was aroused made her heart race. Feeling her nipples harden, she turned her back on him, reaching for the t-shirt she’d tossed onto the bed to try and hide her reaction from him. His tie flew past her head, landing on the bed next to her pants. She was tempted to look over her shoulder, but couldn’t bring herself to do it. Sticking her hands into the shirt, she began to slip it over her head, only to be stopped when he grabbed her wrists, pulling her arms back down. He stood so close; she had to tip her chin up in order to look him in the eyes. He had a good three or four inches over her own five-nine.

“Kasper?” she asked, wondering if he really thought this was a good idea. She wasn’t so sure.

He just smiled before pressing his lips to hers. This time, there was no gentleness in his kiss. It was a hard, punishing meshing of their mouths. His tongue demanded entry, and she sighed, giving it without thinking twice. Though he was kissing her, and he had her hands trapped in his, there was too much distance between the rest of their bodies. Every time she moved to close the space between them, he would make a growling sound and move away. Finally, he pulled his mouth from hers, but not until both of them were panting for air.

“You should have called.” He backed towards the door.

“Kasper—” she said, her heart pounding in her ears, as she grabbed onto his shirt to stop him from leaving.

He shook his head, lowering his eyes to the floor, as he peeled her hands off. “Get dressed and come downstairs.”

Purchase direct from Pink Petal Books.

A Celtic Lover’s Magic
by Lisa Alexander-Griffin
sensual paranormal romance novella
$2.54
Liam Macauley inherits what he believes to be a mansion in Ireland from an uncle he’s never known. The moment he sets foot on Irish soil, he’s plunged deep into ancient Celtic magic, and the course is set to fulfill a millennia old prophecy.

Caileaan, descendant of the Sidhe, ancient gods of Eire, the Tuatha De Danann, longs to dig her toes into freshly turned earth, toil side by side with a husband, birth his children, know what it is to be loved and alive as one with humans.

In a battle of darkness and light, will the evil Fomhoire destroy the promise made to Caileaan along with her world as she knows it? Or will Liam, using his newfound powers, rein triumphant, winning his heart’s desire in the process?

Note: This book was previously published under this same title.
Excerpt:

In her mind’s eye, Caileaan watched Liam enter the keep through the Gothic front door and sighed. She’d made her presence known the first day. Her wait was almost over, the prophecy nearly fulfilled.

Mortal, but not, Caileaan longed to dig her toes into freshly turned earth, toil side-by-side with a husband, birth his children, know what it was to be loved and alive as one with the humans. For thousands of years, the people of Eire had deemed her people gods.

She wrung her hands. Intellectually superior or no, skilled or no, what difference did it make? The Sidhe were not immortal as legend told. One well-placed blade could send them into the afterworld.

No intricately designed sword or other weaponry had ever been enough. The protection of trustworthy mortals remained essential. Hence, the need for the Macaula family.

Her Sidhe clan had been distraught when, tired of the constant threat of the Fomhoire, Liam’s father moved his family to America.

Although separated by an ocean, her gift of foresight allowed her to watch Liam grow from child to man, and she’d fallen in love with him. Not even the vast distance between continents had kept them apart.

Caileaan sighed as she stroked a midnight black raven’s feather against her cheek. A gray mist swirled, and her body shifted and morphed. Feathers sprouted from her flesh. She flapped her wings and blinked.

High above Macaula’s Keep, she soared. Gliding, she settled into an oak tree near Liam’s bedchamber window. Soon he would sleep, and she’d join him in his dreams.

Liam strode into the room, tugged his shirt over his head, and tossed it aside. Caileaan’s raven heart thumped quickly. Built like a warrior of old, Liam’s broad shoulders rippled. He stripped his jeans from long, muscular thighs. As if sensing her, he moved to the window.

A sensation of longing encompassed her. She dug her talon feet into the branch and concentrated on holding her form. The fullness of his pursed lips and searching amber gaze tugged at her heart. The mortal part of her desired to shift and claim his mouth, but she dared not. The time between dusk and twilight had not yet arrived.

Caileaan flew toward Newgrange, the quartz façade of the cairn a beacon in the moonlight.

She entered through a hidden entrance, opened an ancient, bronzed box, and grasped the charm she sought. With the adder stone secured around her wrist, she shifted, journeyed back, and lit on the mullioned window ledge. Soundless, and in human form, she entered Liam’s bedchamber.

Light of foot, she moved across the room and to the bed where Liam snored softly. He stirred, and her breath hitched, but he did not wake.

Caileaan eased down next to him, his body heat warming her skin. He muttered incoherently, and his lids fluttered open. She stared into his amber eyes, took control of his mind and entered his dream….
Purchase direct from Pink Petal Books.

I don’t know about you, but I spent way too many hours at the computers, the netbook, the laptop, and often I’m hunched over the keyboard, or leaning forward slumped in a very un-ergonomic posture, and my body says “ouch!”.

Ergonomic specialists suggest taking a 5-10 minute break every hour, and I know how good it feels to get up and move around, or even just stand for a bit. Getting a piece of paper out of the supply closet (yes I have one, even at home), might be the movement I need to jump start my brain.

Stretching releases stress in our muscles (and if you have a disease such as fibromyalgia, you know how important this is), and helps us to relax.

These are the stretches that I do for a quick break or a mini-vacation in the middle of a work day.

1. Simply stretch out your arms in front of you, fingers in line with your arm and stretch like you’re trying to touch your computer monitor from your chair.

2. Next, do the same thing but try to reach for the ceiling.

3. Keeping the same motion, reach your arms out to the sides.

Then, use one smooth motion and go through all three: front, up, sides….

4. To amp up your stretching routine, stretch one arm above your head, then bending the elbow try to reach down to touch between your shoulder blades. Using your other hand, cup (gently) your elbow and deepen the stretch.

5. Stand up and touch your toes.

As with any exercise only do what you feel comfortable doing. This shouldn’t hurt. Be careful and go slow. But this should help relieve those hours spent at the keyboard.