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Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Wednesday Regency: Richard Sharpe

Sean Bean. I supposed I could leave it at that, post a few delectable pictures and a few links and be done with it. And I might (post the pictures and links that is).





Regency=empire gowns, strict society, the fun of sneaking around those strict mores, and Napoleon. Every Regency romance I've ever read either vaguely mentions the Napoleonic Wars or skims right over the fact that Napoleon controlled 3/4 of Europe and travel wasn't as free as it once was.





I'm guilt of skimming over it, despite the fact that many of my heroes were once in the British Army, I don't tend to use a lot of detail about the actual battles. I'd love to one day write a series set in Portugal during the wars with a romance developing over several books while fighting the French, but then I watched every single Sharpe movie obsessively, read the books, and stalked the Sharpe Appreciation Society.

So the question is, what fascinates us with the Napoleonic Wars to the point that we know about them, research them, but barely use them?



Photos googled.

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Valentine's Day

Who loves ya, baby? I hope this day is filled with whatever you want it to be. If you want chocolate and flowers and a night out, then my wish for you is that you get it. If you want all the cards and pink hearts to disappear into the deepest darkest ditch...let me know how you manage it!

Today's the last day of the huge Valentine's Day event with 265 authors! The prizes for this week's blog hop from me are:

The Masque: A Hellfire Club Erotique
2 $10 gift cards to either Barnes and Noble or Amazon, whichever the winner prefers

What do you need to do? Leave a comment about why you love menage romances and what you'd like to see in the stories.

Cupid has surely hit this hop with a golden arrow!



So here’s how the hop goes each of the participating author below is going to run a contest on their blog for the readers to enjoy! So make sure you stop by all the stops on the hop. I know you won’t be disappointed!



Contest starts February 11, 2012 and ends February 14, 2012 at midnight.

Monday, February 13, 2012

Weekly Goals #7

Now that I'm into February and week 7 on the calender, I'm wondering if I shouldn't have used a better method numbering my goals. I've never counted the calender by weeks, only days. It's messing me up but I hate to change now.

Last week my sole goal was to write Covet. I accomplished this in spades (what the hell does that mean anyway? I accomplished this so well I now have dozens of shovels? Or a really great hand in poker? So odd.)

So...Covet. This is definitely more plot heavy than my other Regency Ménage Tales and includes a murder mystery that took up more of the story than I'd intended. But then it is a murder and to toss it in the background seemed stupid when it's a significant part of the plot.

This week:


  1. Make sure murder plot works without plot holes

  2. Make sure the murder plot doesn't overtake the romance


Day 3 of the huge Valentine's Day event with 265 authors! The prizes for this week's blog hop from me are:


The Masque: A Hellfire Club Erotique
2 $10 gift cards to either Barnes and Noble or Amazon, whichever the winner prefers.


What do you need to do? Leave a comment about why you love menage romances and what you'd like to see in the stories.


Cupid has surely hit this hop with a golden arrow!


So here’s how the hop goes each of the participating author below is going to run a contest on their blog for the readers to enjoy! So make sure you stop by all the stops on the hop. I know you won’t be disappointed!


Contest starts February 11, 2012 and ends February 14, 2012 at midnight.

Sunday, February 12, 2012

This day in History: Napoleon and the Metric System

February 12, 1812, Napoleon introduced a system known as mesures usuelles which used the names of pre-metric units of measure, but defined them in terms of metric units. He implimented this in all areas occupied by his army.

After the Congress of Vienna in 1815, France lost the territories that she had annexed; some, such as the Papal States reverted to their pre-revolutionary units of measure, others such as Baden adopted a modified version of the mesures usuelles, but France kept her system of measurement intact.



Day 2 of the huge Valentine's Day event with 265 authors! The prizes for this week's blog hop from me are:


The Masque: A Hellfire Club Erotique
2 $10 gift cards to either Barnes and Noble or Amazon, whichever the winner prefers.

What do you need to do? Leave a comment about why you love menage romances and what you'd like to see in the stories.


Cupid has surely hit this hop with a golden arrow!


So here’s how the hop goes each of the participating author below is going to run a contest on their blog for the readers to enjoy! So make sure you stop by all the stops on the hop. I know you won’t be disappointed!


Contest starts February 11, 2012 and ends February 14, 2012 at midnight.

Saturday, February 11, 2012

Valentine's Day Event

So today's the start of a huge Valentine's Day event with 265 authors! Wow, that's a gigantic number, but the prizes are fantiastic. (I'm number 163 if you're looking.) The prizes for this week's blog hop from me are:


The Masque: A Hellfire Club Erotique
2 $10 gift cards to either Barnes and Noble or Amazon, whichever the winner prefers.


What do you need to do? Leave a comment about why you love menage romances and what you'd like to see in the stories.


Cupid has surely hit this hop with a golden arrow!



So here’s how the hop goes each of the participating author below is going to run a contest on their blog for the readers to enjoy! So make sure you stop by all the stops on the hop. I know you won’t be disappointed!



Contest starts February 11, 2012 and ends February 14, 2012 at midnight.

Friday, February 10, 2012

Friday Recipe: Potato and Cheddar Soup

This fall I did a post on one of my favorite soups, potato soup. I usually add cheese, since cheese makes everything taste better. So here's the revises recipe I love, cheddar cheese included! Potato and Cheddar Soup...as always thier photo, not mine.

Ingredients
2 cups water
2 cups peeled and cubed red potatoes
3 tablespoons melted butter
1 small onion, chopped
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
salt and pepper to taste
3 cups milk
1/2 teaspoon white sugar
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1 cup diced ham


Directions
Using a medium sized stock pot bring water to a boil, add potatoes and cook until tender. Drain reserving 1 cup liquid.

Stir in butter, onion and flour. Season with salt and pepper. Gradually stir in potatoes, reserved liquid, milk, sugar, cheese, and ham. Simmer for 30 minutes, stirring frequently.

Nutritional Information
Amount Per Serving Calories: 169 Total Fat: 9.9g Cholesterol: 34mg

And don't forget my in honor of the 200th anniversary of the Regency Era officially beginning contest! I'm giving away random copies of my Regency Ménage Tale series. Simply leave a comment about why you like reading Regency romances to be entered! Any comment left between February 5 and Saturday February 11 will count towards the giveaways.

Thursday, February 9, 2012

Thursday Thoughts

Don't forget my in honor of the 200th anniversary of the Regency Era officially beginning contest! I'm giving away random copies of my Regency Ménage Tale series. Simply leave a comment about why you like reading Regency romances to be entered! Any comment left between February 5 and Saturday February 11 will count towards the giveaways.


I think I'm already tired of election season. But on the other hand, I think instead of complaining, I need to do more myself in my community to change what I see.



There were several political cartoons I could have added, all rather humorous and apropos, but I decided on this one.

Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Wednesday Regency: Dowton Abby (again)

I know, I know, not Regency. What was I supposed to call my Wednesday post? Wednesday Non-Regency? Well, perhaps. I suppose I can change it but still. Thematic and all.

Still, after watching a couple episodes (I'll write them up in a later post) I know why Downton Abby is so darn popular. That and I read this article a friend sent me from the BBC on The US Cult of Downton Abby.



  • Nothing's changed in terms of mannerism or social interaction since the ever-popular Regency period.

  • The drama is as real today as it was 100 years ago as it was 200 years ago. Let's face it, human interaction is always fascenating especially if done right and Downton Abby does it right!

  • The clothes are gorgeous and worn very well. Not everyone can pull off period dress!

More when I start writing up my thoughts on this series.


And don't forget my in honor of the 200th anniversary of the Regency Era officially beginning contest! I'm giving away random copies of my Regency Ménage Tale series. Simply leave a comment about why you like reading Regency romances to be entered! Any comment left between February 5 and Saturday February 11 will count towards the giveaways.

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Miranda Lake's The Initiate

The Initiate by Miranda Lake


Blurb:
The Lady Hysena Macarydias, teenage daughter of the most noble house of Qalle, finds her illusion of how life will be as an Initiate at the formidable Citadel utterly shattered.



The excesses of Father Tarrip, High Priest of the Holy Prophet , would be beyond the endurance of the terrified girls in his charge were it not for the efforts of Sister Maria, who as an Adept of the secretive and forbidden Society of T’arn, is able to control him – but only to a degree.
But Maria has concerns beyond the fate of the pampered young ladies of Qalle aristocracy; the delicately balanced peace between the warring nations is under threat, and the very future of the planet may be in her hands.


The struggle for control of Qalle is a secret one, known to only a few. Caught between the opposing factions are the innocent Initiates: Hysena, the beautiful, intelligent yet naive Lady; Jagdig, the formidable warrior girl of Kallinia; plump Princess Leel of Calith; tiny, demure Silka of Sis Narash and the others.

And, somewhere within the sprawling walls and forbidding towers of the ancient Citadel, are the Acolytes, male counterparts to the Initiates, who in the timeless manner of young men everywhere will undertake any risk if it may result in the chance to meet young women, even if that risk may result in disaster...

The world of Qalle is a world of cruelty, of pain, of punishment. A world of plot, counter-plot and intrigue, but which still allows time enough for love, tenderness and yearning desire.


First published some years ago, The Initiate by Miranda Lake is now available in downloadable form for the first time – one of the most erotic novels to be published this century.



Buy links:
All Romance eBooks
Amazon UK
Amazon


Excerpt:

Xarrith was right, he reflected. Risk did make the blood sing, but what risk! He did not know what punishment would follow discovery on such an adventure, but had not been joking when he suggested to Xarrith that he feared for their very survival. His researches into the Citadel had offered hints of people entering the forbidding walls never to be seen or heard of again. Was a few hours of ecstasy worth possible death? As he watched the taller of the two naked girls, now lying on her back with her legs held high and wide by the one with the magnificent breasts and the holy sister bringing the tokan down directly on her spread vagina, he almost thought that it was.

As she plied the tokan between the open legs of Nephraan and heard her shrill scream as the whippy leather bit into her swollen labia, Sister Colya was wondering whether to order one (or both!) of the Initiates to lick her soaking cunt. With a grimace, she decided against this, knowing from experience that, while all of them would do this delightful service for each other, they hated to do it for their sister elder. Or at least this sister elder. She suspected that they showed no such reticence with Maria and felt a bitter pang of envy at the thought, bringing the tokan down with all her strength in her frustration.


Nephraan screamed even louder as the cruel device once again bit into her exposed sex.
The sound of the scream came clearly through the wall to the ears of the fascinated Tasnar. Unlike Xarrith who had seen punishments carried out on his people at home, in Sis Narash the though of treating another person in such a barbaric manner was anathema. He found the sight deeply shocking but even more exciting. Once again he applied his eye to the small hole in the ancient wall.



And don't forget my in honor of the 200th anniversary of the Regency Era officially beginning contest! I'm giving away random copies of my Regency Ménage Tale series. Simply leave a comment about why you like reading Regency romances to be entered! Any comment left between February 5 and Saturday February 11 will count towards the giveaways.

Monday, February 6, 2012

Weekly Goals #6

I spent the majority of last week cleaning. I admit it, but it was so beautiful outside with near 70 degree days, that I opened my windows and aired out the house. I then cleaned. All that little stuff that accumulates around during the winter when you'd rather toss the mail on the table then eat at the table. It's dark and cold, no need to do anything else but eat and find your way back to the couch!

But not last week! Last week I went to town! My house is now free from clutter and even the blankets have been washed. Early spring cleaning. I did not, however, scrub the floors even if they desperately need it. I hate doing floors.

This week I will:



  1. Continue on with Covet. I'm spending so much time on it because I want it to work and work well. I had planned it one way but it's taken a completely different direction and I'm enjoying the journey so will continue on. Unfortunately, it means it's late, but I hope for a better story because of this.


And don't forget my in honor of the 200th anniversary of the Regency Era officially beginning contest! I'm giving away random copies of my Regency Ménage Tale series. Simply leave a comment about why you like reading Regency romances to be entered! Any comment left between February 5 and Saturday February 11 will count towards the giveaways.