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Today, I am guest posting over at my friend Julia Rachel Barrett's World. Wait until you see her Header. It is hilarious!
I write The Ick Factor, about when sex-talk in erotica is gross and not at all erotic. She said it's pretty funny. If it makes you giggle then I am a happy blogger!
Description:
Book one of The Cat Star Chronicles
Captain Jacinth “Jack” Rutland has been searching the galaxy for her kidnapped sister, Ranata, for six long, fruitless years. Tired, bitter, and avoiding romance out of necessity, Jack's quest has brought her to a planet where all women are enslaved, and to rescue her sister, she must first find a man to pose as her own master.
In desperation, she buys Carkdacund “Cat” Tshevnoe, an exotic feline native of the planet Zetith who was enslaved following the war which destroyed his homeworld. Granting him his freedom, Jack enlists Cat's aid, vowing to keep her own feelings for him at bay until her sister is safe.
But Cat is much more than she bargained for. Powerfully seductive and deadly attractive, Cat is living proof that the true reason for the destruction of Zetith had far more to do with love than with war. . . . CherylBrooksOnline.com
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Published by Doubleday, Doran (Scanned cover of pulp magazine) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons |
Denise MacGregor knows all too well what lurks in the shadows – her best friend is half-vampire Cat Crawfield – and she has already lost more than the average human could bear. But her family’s dark past is wrapped in secrets and shrouded in darkness – and a demon shapeshifter has marked Denise as prey. Now her survival depends on an immortal who craves a taste of her.
He is Spade, a powerful, mysterious vampire who has walked the earth for centuries and is now duty-bound to protect this endangered, alluring human – even if it means destroying his own kind. Denise may arouse his deepest hungers, but Spade knows he must fight his urge to have her as they face the demon nightmare together…
Because once the first drop of crimson falls, they will both be lost.
Image via Wikipedia
And in my business, the unexpected was commonplace occurrence.
Image via Wikipedia
Image by Aaron E. Silvers via FlickrMedieval Germans often relied on the shadow of a badger to tell them whether or not spring was on its way. If the badger saw his shadow on a particular day, then more winter was in store. If the badger didn't see his shadow, then spring would come soon. German immigrants brought this tradition to the United States. It is celebrated every February 2nd in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, as Groundhog Day.Phil has a website: http://www.groundhog.org/
The Old Woman of the Gloom was considered an evil spirit who gathered sticks on St. Briget's Day for a fire to dry herself. If St. Briget's Day was wet, the Old Woman could not venture out until she made sure there was a dry spring for her own comfort. If St. Briget's Day was dry, a wet spring would follow, so then she would gather enough fuel to warm her through the wet months. http://open-site.org/Science/Weather_and_Climate/Folklore
A tough Winter is ahead if:
corn husks are thick and tight...
apple skins are tough...
birds migrate early...
squirrels tails are very bushy...
berries and nuts are plentiful...
bees build their nests high in the trees.If the breast bone of the Thanksgiving goose is red or has many spots, expect a cold and stormy Winter; but if only a few spots are visible, expect a mild Winter.
The severity of Winter is determined by how far down the feathers have grown on a partridge's leg.
The wider the brown (middle) band on a woolly bear caterpillar, the milder the Winter.
The nearer the New Moon to Christmas Day, the harder the Winter.
If the first snowfall lands on unfrozen ground, the Winter will be mild.
If there is thunder in Winter, it will snow 7 days later.
http://www.stormfax.com/wxfolk.htm
Kwaidan - Yuki-Onna (Snow Woman)
The sad and haunting tale of Yuki Onna (雪女) consists of all the requisite elements of a truly classic traditional ghost story. The ferocity of the Yuki Onna who can be both horrific and deadly at will, also displays a deep compassion and sadness. In this way she is depicted not only as a mountain ghoul but as wholly feminine in her heartfelt contemplations.
Juxtaposed her near-divine status is the character of Minokichi, an innocent and naive young man who although possesses a good heart inevitably displays the moral and mental fraility of humans. Giddily failing to uphold a promise he swore to, Minokichi foolishly brings himself once again face to face with a terrifying Death.
The Snow QueenShe is all over the place - Hans Christian Andersen
Andersen, Hans Christian. The Snow Queen and Other Stories from Hans Andersen. Edmund Dulac, illustrator. London: Hodder & Stoughton 1911.
The Snow Queen (Danish: Sneedronningen) is a fairy tale by author Hans Christian Andersen (1805–1875). The tale was first published in 1845, and centers on the struggle between good and evil as experienced by a little boy and girl, Kai and Gerda.The story is one of Andersen's longest and is considered by scholars, critics, and readers alike as one of his best. It is regularly included in selected tales and collections of his work as well as being frequently reprinted in illustrated storybook editions for children. The tale has been adapted in various media including animated film and television drama.The Snow Queen is a tale told in seven 'stories' (Danish: Historier):
- About the Mirror and its Pieces
- A Little Boy and a Little Girl
- The Flower Garden of the Woman Who Knew Magic
- The Prince and Princess
- The Lapp Woman and the Finn Woman
- What Happened at the Snow Queen's Palace and What happened Afterwards http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Snow_Queen
The White Witch, as she is referred to by her Narnian subjects, is the land's self-proclaimed queen, tyrannizing all through her magic-imposed rule. Her spell on Narnia has made it "always winter but never Christmas" for a hundred years. When provoked, she turns opponents to stone by waving her wand.
The story begins in 1940 during World War II, when four children, Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy Pevensie, are evacuated from London to escape the Blitz. They are sent to live with Professor Digory Kirke, who lives in a country house in the English countryside.
While the four children are exploring the house, Lucy looks into a wardrobe and discovers a portal to a mysterious world called Narnia, in which she meets a faun named Tumnus who takes her to tea in his home. He confesses he planned to report her to the tyrannical White Witch but has thought better of it. Upon returning to our world, Lucy's siblings do not believe her story about Narnia. Her spiteful older brother Edmund enters the wardrobe and meets the White Witch, who befriends him and offers him magical Turkish delight that enchants him. She encourages him to bring his siblings to her in Narnia, with the promise that he shall rule over them. Edmund meets Lucy in Narnia and returns to England with her, but after returning to our world he denies to Susan and Peter that there is anything behind the wardrobe.
Eventually all four of the children enter Narnia together while hiding in the wardrobe. They meet Mr. and Mrs. Beaver, who invite them to dinner. The beavers recount a prophecy that the witch's power will fail when two Sons of Adam and two Daughters of Eve fill the four thrones at Cair Paravel. The beavers tell of the true king of Narnia — a great lion called Aslan — who has been absent for many years but is now "on the move again".
Edmund sneaks away to the White Witch. Her castle is filled with stone statues; enemies whom she petrified. The beavers realize where Edmund has gone and abandon their home, leading the children to join Aslan. As they travel, they notice that the snow is melting, indicating that the White Witch's spell is breaking. A visit by Father Christmas confirms this.
The children and the Beavers meet with Aslan and his army. Peter engages in his first battle, killing a wolf who threatens Susan.
The Witch approaches to speak with Aslan, insisting that according to "deep magic from the dawn of time" she has the right to execute Edmund as a traitor. Aslan speaks with her privately and persuades her to renounce her claim on Edmund's life. That evening, Aslan secretly leaves the camp, but is followed by Lucy and Susan. Aslan has bargained to exchange his own life for Edmund's. The Witch ties Aslan to the Stone Table and then kills him with a knife. The following morning Aslan is restored to life; for unbeknownst to the witch, "deeper magic from before the dawn of time" allows someone who willingly dies in the place of another to be returned to life.
Aslan allows Lucy and Susan to ride on his back as he travels to the Witch's castle, where he breathes upon the statues and restores them to life. Peter and Edmund lead the Narnian army in a battle against the White Witch's army, and Aslan arrives with the former statues as reinforcements. The Narnians rout the evil army, and Aslan kills the Witch.
The Pevensie children are named kings and queens of Narnia. On a hunt several years later, they rediscover the lamp post, walk through the wardrobe, and end up right back in the mansion just moments after they had entered the wardrobe. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Lion,_the_Witch_and_the_Wardrobe
Some things won't stay buried . . . at grave's end
It should be the best time of half-vampire Cat Crawfield's life. With her undead lover Bones at her side, she's successfully protected mortals from the rogue undead. But though Cat's worn disguise after disguise to keep her true identity a secret from the brazen bloodsuckers, her cover's finally been blown, placing her in terrible danger.
As if that wasn't enough, a woman from Bones's past is determined to bury him once and for all. Caught in the crosshairs of a vengeful vamp, yet determined to help Bones stop a lethal magic from being unleashed, Cat's about to learn the true meaning of bad blood. And the tricks she's learned as a special agent won't help her. She will need to fully embrace her vampire instincts in order to save herself—and Bones—from a fate worse than the grave. (Amazon.com)
Her deadly dreams leave her in grave danger
Since half-vampire Cat Crawfield and her undead lover Bones met six years ago, they've fought against the rogue undead, battled a vengeful Master vampire, and pledged their devotion with a blood bond. Now it's time for a vacation. But their hopes for a perfect Paris holiday are dashed when Cat awakes one night in terror. She's having visions of a vampire named Gregor who's more powerful than Bones and has ties to her past that even Cat herself didn't know about.
Gregor believes Cat is his and he won't stop until he has her. As the battle begins between the vamp who haunts her nightmares and the one who holds her heart, only Cat can break Gregor's hold over her. She'll need all the power she can summon in order to bring down the baddest bloodsucker she's ever faced . . . even if getting that power will result in an early grave.
Danger waits on both sides of the grave.Half-vampire Cat Crawfield and her vampire husband Bones have fought for their lives, as well as for their relationship. But just when they've triumphed over the latest battle, Cat's new and unexpected abilities threaten to upset a long-standing balance . . .
Cat and Bones are in Paris with Bones Co-leader and Grandsire, Mencheres, an ancient Egyptian:I started laughing as I read this phrase and had to read it to my husband. I had to share it with you as well.
"Then you remember the dream," Mencheres stated. "That bodes ill."
The fear of that made my reply snappy. "Hey, Walks Like An Egyptian, how about for once you drop the formal stuff and talk like you live in the twenty-first century."
"The shit's gonna splatter, start buggin' , yo," Mencheres responded instantly. (Kindle Ed. loc. 653)
