Tales Of Allure

Six Sentence Sunday July 10th

2011-07-10T00:00:00.001-04:00

You can find links to all of the excerpts from other wonderful Six Sentence authors HERE!

Scene SETUP: Meet Grey. He's Vic's best friend, and he's just walked in on a very wrinkled Vic, after his visit from Gato and the sumo. Grey has just figured out the super of the building had to be the one to open his mouth about Vic's whereabouts. Vic is listening to Grey storm down the hall. (Taken from the 0.99 novel Murder Creek available at Amazon and Barnes and Noble)

He heard shouting and splintering wood as Grey’s voice boomed down the hall, the sentences broken up with the sound of frying pan against skull. “…ever say a word again…” Bong “…saw your legs off while ya watch…” Bong “Are those…burritos?”

One more thunk preceded the clang of Grey’s weapon dropping to the floor, and seconds later, he reappeared in Vic’s apartment with a burrito in each hand. He held one out to Vic.

“Grey, you shouldn’t get inv-“

“Shut up and eat your burrito.”

Six Sentence Sunday June 26th

2011-06-26T00:46:00.003-04:00

You can find links to all of the excerpts from other wonderful Six Sentence authors HERE!

Scene: Vic just woke up to a giant ass coming at him, pinning him to his chair. Paulo is the huge sumo-wanna be sitting on him, but he is being addressed by the drug lord Gato, who has a "favor" he needs from Vic.(Taken from the 0.99 novel Murder Creek available at Amazon and Barnes and Noble)

“What favor you ask? The favor of not telling your enemies where I found ya, ese, I figure—ya owe me for that, and I’m thinkin’ ya don’t wanna be telling me no about now.”

Gato’s grin practically slithered across his face. “Ain’t that right, Paulo?”

Paulo looked over a mountainous shoulder at him. “I had eight cheeseburgers and three orders of chili cheese fries.”

Vic struggled harder.

Six Sentence Sunday

2011-06-11T23:55:00.000-04:00

I missed last week! I missed you guys. lol The new Six Sentence site is awesome. You can find links to all of the excerpts from other wonderful authors HERE!

Scene: Vic just woke up to a giant ass coming at him, pinning him to his chair.(Taken from the 0.99 novel Murder Creek available at Amazon and Barnes and Noble)

“Ge’…off!” he choked.

The more he fought the guy squishing him, the more pressure the gorilla applied. Vic turned his head to the side—to avoid being smothered in back fat—and came face-to-face with a sneaky piece of shit he’d hoped to never see again.

Gato’s smug smile could only be described as oil-slick, proud of himself for tracking Vic down. There weren’t many people living who knew what The Rattlesnake looked—and in Gato’s case smelled—like, and when Vic got his hands on the bastard, there'd be one less.

“How’s it goin’, ese?” Gato asked, making a great show of dusting off the sleeves of his Armani suit. Vic had one just like it—if he survived this reunion he’d burn it.

Final May Awareness Project Winners.

2011-06-02T06:19:00.002-04:00

Hi everyone!

May was a whirlwind month. I barely had time to breathe it seemed, so I apologize if I've been a little anti-social. I hope you'll all understand. And I'll be back to normal soon.

First I want to say thank you so much to the donating authors, the authors who did write-ups from their personal experience, and those of you who took the time to visit. Truly...from the heart...Thanks to you.

In the next few weeks, I'll be sending out T-shirts and print books and ebooks where they belong. If you haven't received any notification by Jun 15th, please send me an email at authorallurevansanz at gmail.

I've learned that Memorial weekend is a bad time to try to promote a blog and bring about Awareness, so because of the low-to-no responses, I'm mixing up the prizes a bit.

Breast Cancer Awareness Giveaway winners:

Historical Author Evangeline Collins Print Book Seven Nights to Forever - Darcy

Lindsay Klug’s EBook The Life and Times of Delila - Debbie

Romance and Erotic Romance Author Margie Church (Your choice of her Noble Romance releases) - Fiona

ALS and Bone Marrow Donation Awareness Mix Giveaways:

Erotic Romance Author Sarah Balance EBook copy of Run to You - Sutton Fox

Indie Author Kally Sten eBook Fangs and Lullabies - Darcy

Allure Van Sanz T-shirt - Chelle Cordero

Erotic Author Brindle Chase EBook Trading Up or The Grass is Always Greener (Your choice) - Helen

Bone Marrow Donors

2011-05-31T00:00:00.001-04:00

I'm a sympathetic crier. That doesn't mean I'm not a tough person. I'm a fighter, a survivor, but most of all, I'm a humanitarian. Ever since I was little, I couldn't hear a story and not feel affected by it. I'd laugh or cry as if the story were mine and I could swear I felt every giddy moment--and likewise--every heartbreak.

I think it's a good thing. It makes me charitable. Every time I get a dollar, I wonder how I can make half of it work for someone other than myself. There are so many good causes out there...organizations and people that make a difference in the world.

The sheer numbers of people and conditions that need our help is daunting. There's no way we can help them all. We'd go broke.

But for some things you don't need money. Some things only cost time. One thing...comes to my mind.

Bone Marrow.

Foolishly, I always thought that I would never donate bone marrow. "I've heard it hurts, and I hurt enough every day, thank you very much. Besides, there are millions of people who donate and they can find the donors they need in their family and friends."

I'm not ashamed to admit I was a jerk a few years ago--only because I've seen the error of my ignorance and worked hard at educating others.

Registering for Bone Marrow Donation is as simple as a swab in the mouth, and the donation experience if you are a match for someone, isn't what you think either. Check out the myths HERE.

What bothers me, is that barely anyone is registered. Only a few million people...and usually only because someone they know and love is in need. But we need to change that my friends!! Go in for a check-up. Ask your doctor to give you a swab for bone marrow registration. Why?

Imagine your mother, your father, your sibling or worse...your child--is dying, and all they need is to find someone who is a donor match. It could come from anyone out there! And all the donor would have to do is feel some discomfort for an hour or so to save your child's ENTIRE LIFE!! Imagine how frustrating it would be to know that person was walking around out there as your child draws their last breath and there's nothing you can do. You've done everything--you've tapped into every friend and friend of a friend you can, but none of them matched.

I can be rather abrasive on this, I know. But let me take a different spin.

Imagine you're a regular guy or gal, who reads something about bone marrow donation that made you think.. "Hey, why not?" and you get your cheek swabbed and find out you're a match. You've gone from regular guy/gal to life-saving hero. You've given someone a chance at longevity that no one else could.

Imagine how amazing it would feel to be the giver of life.

Talk with your doctor. Learn How To Register

Giveaways:

Allure Van Sanz T-shirt

Erotic Author Brindle Chase EBook Trading Up

Erotic Author Brindle Chase EBook The Grass is Always Greener

ALS - Lou Gehrig’s And Giveaway Updates

2011-05-29T23:21:00.005-04:00

What is ALS? It's a tragic disease that once you learn about it, you'll want to do more to help those who suffer from it. Here to give her experience and bring about awareness, is Lyra Totten-Naylor. Thank you for sharing your story.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is a mouthful for anyone, especially those who have it. Three and a half years after learning about it, I still can’t say it. In conversations, having noted a number of confused faces even when using the initials ALS, I quickly add the words that draw recognition, “Lou Gehrig’s.”

My father-in-law, Dave, was a die-hard Detroit Tigers fan who hated the NY Yankees with a passion. Being diagnosed with a disease best associated with the Yankee’s Iron Horse was just one of the many indignities he handled with optimism and grace.

Dave received his diagnosis of ALS in September 2007 at the age of 65. This is ten years beyond the average age of diagnosis, although some people are diagnosed as early as their twenties. Having retired from the University of Cincinnati just the month before, Dave dreamed of taking an extended holiday in France, and playing catch with his four grandchildren. ALS stole those dreams.

Doctors and researchers don’t know precisely what causes ALS. There is small genetic component, but the overwhelming majority of cases are “sporadic,” meaning they can affect anyone, anywhere. The national ALS Association helps raise funds to find out why ALS occurs and what can be done to ease the symptoms or at least slow the progress of this always fatal disease.

No-one gets better. My father in law approached each day as his last “good day,” knowing each day his condition grew worse. Each day, his body grew weaker. Each day, the neurons that normally transmit the message to move from the brain to the muscles died. Each day brought a lessening of the ability to control movement until the muscles atrophied. This occurs not just in the large muscles groups of the legs, arms and back, but also the smaller, critical ones that control speech, chewing, swallowing and breathing.

Because ALS does not weaken the brain, the patient is painfully aware of becoming a prisoner in his or her body. Each time we visited (we lived several states apart) he could participate less, disappearing to his room to watch travel videos as the rest of us ate a meal. It was hard knowing my daughter helped him with card games not just because she liked spending time with Grandpa, but also that he could no longer play the physical aspect of games without help. But that sorrow was nothing compared to the sadness in his face once he could no longer return her hugs. Many ALS patents understandably grow depressed. I won’t forget carefully listening as Dave told me life lost its joy once he could no longer eat.

Less than a year has passed since my father-in-law’s death and it’s still hard that a man so full of vigor just months before his diagnosis is now gone from our lives.
I am grateful for the work done by the ALSA at both the national and local levels. Local ALS chapters provide day-to-day support those families living with ALS. Until a cure is found, they provide vital assistance to those most directly affected by ALS. Let’s hope that day comes soon. ALS is a terrible way to die.

Donation link ALSA

Lyra Totten-Naylor

Giveaways:

Erotic Romance Author Sarah Balance EBook copy of Run to You

Indie Author Kally Sten eBook Fangs and Lullabies

Indie Author Dana Taylor eBook Devil Moon

Giveaways for Breast Cancer, ALS and Bone Marrow Donation will be announced June 2nd due to the holiday.

Thanks for your patience.
Allure Van Sanz

Six Sentence Sunday

2011-05-29T00:38:00.003-04:00

Meet Victor Ramsus Graves. Recently released from prison, Vic is waiting for his buddy to bring him his guns at a safe house: (Taken from the 0.99 novel Murder Creek available at Amazon and Barnes and Noble)

Sighing, Vic flipped through the four channels he received--only one of which had less snow than the Himalays--and settled on a foggy channel, listening to the news.

His body jerked, and he was aware only that he’d fallen asleep, awakening alert with a nagging feeling like he’d left his guns in the car.

But he didn’t have his guns right now—Grey did—and he didn’t have a car either.

As his blurry gaze slowly focused, his weary brain struggled to comprehend what he was seeing: A giant ass coming straight for him.

“Oh Shi--Unghh!”

He hammered his fists against the outer thighs of the sumo-wanna-be holding him pinned to his chair. Weren’t wrestlers supposed to let go when someone tapped out?

Head back to headquarters, where other awesome authors await:
Six Sentence Sunday Blog

Breast Cancer

2011-05-28T00:46:00.004-04:00

Breast Cancer is a topic that can frighten and inspire at the same time. With me today to talk about this disease is Lindsay Klug! Thank you for talking with us today, Lindsay.

If you look to your left or right at any given moment in a public place, chances are you’ll find someone who’s been affected by breast cancer.

And affected by doesn’t necessarily mean fought or currently fighting it. My mother-in-law and grandmother are both survivors, and their lives are an inspiration to me every day. But they were not the only ones affected by the disease.

We must also consider the families. Oftentimes, children are forced to sit by as their mothers (or fathers) battle through breast cancer. They watch as their beloved parent gradually loses their hair to the therapy, or is forced to undergo an invasive procedure. They are helpless to ease the painful aftereffects of chemotherapy, when a person is left so weakened they can barely lift their heads to drink.
Breast cancer is a disease often overlooked or taken lightly until it hits one we love or ourselves. It is a non-discriminating disease, affecting both men and women. And it can be fatal.

The best prevention is self exams. This concept is ground into us from our teens, and yet most women (and men) don’t think to do self exams but maybe twice a year, if that.

Think of it this way: Looking both ways before you cross a street can save your life. If you’re willing to take three seconds to do that every time you have to walk somewhere, why not take ten minutes a month to be the first step in preventative health care?

Save the ta-ta’s, folks.

Thanks, Lindsay! Sound advice.
Breast Cancer Research Foundation <~~~~Donation Link

Giveaways:
Historical Author Evangeline Collins Print Book Seven Nights to Forever

Lindsay Klug’s EBook The Life and Times of Delila

Romance and Erotic Romance Author Margie Church (Your choice of her Noble Romance releases)

Depression Awareness Giveaway Winners:

Allure Van Sanz T-shirt - Margie Church

Allure Van Sanz Ebook (Your choice of any Noble book)- Leanne & Brita

Erotic author J.S. Wayne's copy of Angels Would Fall - Renee

Erotic author J.S. Wayne's copy of Angel of the Morning - Helen

To Write Love...a Blog about Depression (CC Winners)

2011-05-27T00:00:00.003-04:00

Anyone who sees me on a normal day will recognize this bracelet dangling from my wrist. Other days, you'll probably see me sporting a "To Write Love On Her Arms" tee-shirt. I'm a huge fan of the organization and all they do for people who suffer from depression and families/friends of suicide victims and survivors (including families and friends) of suicide attempts. I can't tell you what they mean to me. And I also can't tell you how I suffer. The words don't always come out the way I want them to, and I fear talking about the dark days--as if even mentioning what I go through might send me back into the pitch. So who better than J.S. Wayne to stand with me and bring about awareness with his experience and gift with words. If you've never met him, never read a word he's written...it is my most sincere honor to introduce you to J.S. Wayne.

I would like to believe that I am unique. In many ways, I am. I can take a great deal of pride in knowing that I have done things and been places that most people have never done, been, or seen. I’ve had a rich and full life so far, and I hope that it continues to be so.

But in one way, I am not unique at all.

I am one of nearly forty-two million Americans, or 16.5% of the total population, who suffers from depression.

We’ve all seen the commercials featuring the (mostly women) sitting on her couch looking sad while the world passes her by. “Depression hurts,” is the tagline for these commercials. And there’s a very good reason for that.

But before we get into the whys and wherefores, we first have to set a working definition of depression. So:

The DSM-IV, the gold standard in diagnosing mental illness among the psychological/psychiatric community for decades, defines depression as a complex of symptoms stemming from a biochemical imbalance in the brain that is severe enough to interfere with a person’s inability to function normally in a job, relationship, or other social or private matters and lasts more than two weeks. The symptoms include insomnia or needing excessive amounts of sleep, depressed mood during most of the day, loss of interest in activities that normally the person enjoys, significant weight loss or gain (equal to or more than 5% of the person’s normal body weight in a one-month period), apparent inability to move or think quickly as observed by others, fatigue or loss of energy nearly every day, feelings of worthlessness or excessive or irrational guilt (“I’m sorry I was ever born, look at all the trouble I’ve caused”), diminished ability to think or concentrate, and recurrent or obsessive thoughts of death, suicide, or a specific plan or attempt to commit suicide.

To be considered depressed, one must exhibit at least five out of the nine traits listed above; and this is only for ONE type of depression (major depressive episode); the DSM-IV lists out NINE specific kinds of depression or depressive disorder. At least one of the five traits exhibited must be either depressed mood or loss of interest or pleasure.

At one point or another, I have exhibited Every. Last. One.

Frightening, isn’t it?

Depression is not just in a person’s mind; according to the National Institute for Mental Health, suicide is the third-leading cause of death among people ages 15-24. Women are twice as likely as men to experience depression; but men are THREE TIMES more likely to attempt or commit suicide as women.

People experiencing depression will often know they are acting irrationally or “out of character,” but can’t seem to figure out why. They may be lethargic or capable of running for days on end on an amount of sleep that a healthy person would find wholly inadequate. Depression is often linked to physical complaints such as joint or back pain that are untraceable and undetectable upon physical examination. So, yes, when the commercials say that depression hurts, they mean to be taken very literally, in a wide variety of senses.

Depression hurts the sufferer; it also hurts the people who care about and rely on the sufferer. Billions of dollars are lost in worker productivity and medical expenses each year as a direct result of depression. It tears families and lives apart. People lose their jobs, their houses, and even, tragically, their lives because of depression every year, in mind-boggling numbers.

If you just read the symptom list I gave above and said, “Hey, that sounds like me,” and you’re still reading this, you need to be on the phone or the web, getting in touch with your family. A friend. Your doctor. Your priest (or equivalent religious figure or aid). Anyone you love or trust enough to be honest about what you’re feeling, and why. And then you need to get help.

Some people find that medication works well. Some people alter their habits and lifestyle in a healthy way with remarkable results. Active meditation is the best way for some, while others find classical treatment from a qualified therapist works. Whatever YOUR best way is, find it. Don’t keep it to yourself. Don’t suffer in silence. Don’t let yourself become another tragic statistic.

It takes a lot of courage to ask for help. It may be the hardest thing you’ll ever do.

But it may save your job, your marriage, or even your life.

Weighed against that, isn’t it worth it? It won’t be comfortable; it won’t be easy. I’m not going to tell you it is.

But I swear on everything I hold sacred that it is worth it. And it’s not your fault. It’s not a failing or a weakness. It’s not something you see coming, or that you can say will never happen to you. But there is help. There is hope. And there are a hell of a lot of people out there who’ve been there and understand.

You’re talking to one of them now.

If you or someone you know is experiencing any or all of the symptoms I listed above, do your homework. Ask questions. Listen to the answers. And call or visit any of these resources. Don’t wait. Don’t hesitate.

You may save a life.

Still need more convincing? Stop over to J.S. Wayne's Blog and read Melissa's Secret. Everyone should read this story! It can really open your eyes.

1-800-273-8255 is the number for the Suicide Prevention Hotline in the US. Check your directory for the appropriate number for your locale. Make this your first call, especially if you have ANY reason to believe that you or the person you’re concerned about may be thinking about suicide.

Online Resources:

American Foundation for Suicide PreventionDepression and Suicide Resources and Information

To Write Love On Her Arms (clickable picture link)Resources and Assistance for Sufferers of Drug Abuse, Depression, Suicide Attempts, and Their Families

Giveaways:
Allure Van Sanz T-shirt
Allure Van Sanz Ebook (Your choice of any Noble book)
Erotic author J.S. Wayne's copy of Angels Would Fall
Erotic author J.S. Wayne's copy of Angel of the Morning

Colon Cancer Awareness Giveaway Winners:
AVS Book - Mona Risk
Patti Shenberger Print Book - Wendy S. Marcus
Avril Ashton's Ebook - Neecy

Trip Around the World Winners

2011-05-26T00:22:00.004-04:00

I'd like to thank everyone for coming to the Trip Around the World Blog Hop, and especially those who visited my blog. LOL

Look for Party Til Your Heels Come Off Blog Hop coming in June for more chances to win a bunch of stuff! I'll be throwing a Luau and giving away more freebies.

I hope to see you then.

In the meantime, the three vacation package giveaway winners for this blog hop are:

Rhonda
Lisa Kumar
&
mmbourassa

Congratulations!

And for those who weren't chosen, I hope you consider coming back to this blog. In addition to the Blog Hops, I just love running giveaways!

Be Well and Live the Dream

Best,
AyVee
Allure Van Sanz

Colon Cancer Awareness and Red Cross Winners

2011-05-25T00:28:00.003-04:00

You don't have to be an erotic author to talk about the bum. In fact, if we all did a little more talking and a lot less blushing, we could save many more lives. Here to tell us all about her experience is an advocate and colon cancer survivor. Welcome my buddy, Patti Shenberger.

Welcome, I’m the Priestess of Poop. Bet that got your attention now didn’t it? I actually called myself that for a brief period of time when I was diagnosed with colon cancer back in the fall of 2006. Wasn’t exactly one of the better times in my life, let me tell you.

You see I’d just gotten a raise that was literally double my previous salary, had a new job I loved, sold two romance novels and three short stories and life was looking pretty darn good if I do say so myself. Then…wait for it…you guessed it, my streak of good luck came crashing down around me in leaps and bounds.

I knew something wasn’t right with my body but put it off to stress (the new job), fatigue (burning both ends of the candle with my writing), and not eating properly (no good excuse for that one). But after seeing something that didn’t look right in the porcelain goddess and making a quick call to my family doctor, my worse nightmare quickly became a reality. Had my first colonoscopy two days after my 46th b-day. Woke up to find the doctor, nurse and hubby all staring at me and received the news there was a tumor. Yup, the first tremors of my world coming unglued kicked in. Three weeks later, I took a leave of absence from the job, notified my editor and publisher that I would do everything possible to get my edits done for them and retreated from life for a while for surgery and chemo.

Now if you can imagine this (and gals I know you can) my first day of chemo started off with a bang. I literally got my period, had to quit caffeine (Pepsi is my drink of choice) and had my first treatment of chemo. I have to admit there wasn’t a suckier day on the face of this planet for me!!! (LOL) And that would be a false statement because as chemo progressed, the days did suck worse to the point of my mind going to the dark side and I couldn’t find a bright light at the end of the tunnel till about 1/3 of the way through my treatment.

Those of you that know me know I’m a fighter. I’ve never met a challenge I couldn’t nip in the bud until cancer. I’m also a Type A personality (just call me anal to a fault – literally (G). So I was bound and determined cancer would not win. And since I’m writing this you know that it didn’t beat me, I beat it!

Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer. It is also the third leading cause of cancer related deaths in the United States. If caught earlier, it’s also the most treatable. I was floored when my doctor told me the tumor was probably in my body close to ten years! Can you imagine that? I had no clue. This year alone colorectal cancer is expected to claim the life of 49,830 deaths. But, more than a million people are survivors of this deadly disease as well.

While I don’t physically participate in the Relay for Life that is held in my community each year, I can say that I donate a nice chunk of change to the cause during the auction portion. For me June 4 at Friendship Park in Lake Orion is my Relay for Life survival day. I’ll reconnect with the doctors who treated me, the nurses who knew when I needed a shoulder to cry on or another bowl of soup (where I had my treatment had free lunch days a lot), and I’ll walk the survivors lap around the park, share lunch with family and friends, and more importantly know that I have made it through another year.

So on that happy note; I’ll leave you all for today. Thank you for stopping by and thanks for sharing my story with me. And remember, the Priestess of Poop says “Don’t forget your own colonoscopy.” Think of it this way, you get to lose a lot of water weight with the prep and get a great nap during the procedure. Best part – you know you’ve taken care of your body by scheduling the appt.

My love to all, Patti

* Statistics from The American Cancer Society – www.cancer.org

Thank you so much for coming by and telling your inspiring story.

Colon Cancer Alliance <~~~Donation Link

Giveaways:

Author Allure Van Sanz Noble Ebook, your choice

Author Patti Shenberger giving away a print copy of The Laird’s Lady

Erotic author Avril Ashton’s EBook Secret Cravings

Red Cross Winners: (Please emails allurevansanz@aol.com if you did not leave your email or you don't hear from me in the next few days T-shirt and Print winners will need to email their addresses for the prize. If shipping winners are outside of U.S. their prizes can be swapped for ebooks. Thank you!)

Allure Van Sanz T-Shirt - Therese G.

Erotic Author Em Woods Print Book Saddle Up N Ride - Helen

Erotic Author Brindle Chase EBook copy of The Grass is Always Greener - Marilyn B.

Erotic Author Megan Hussey EBook copy of Love Revisited: Judith and Prince Valentin - Madelina

Allure Ebook of your choice: Everyone else who commented on the Red Cross thread!! Please Email me with your choice of book from the ones listed on this blog in the sidebar.

Thank you everyone!

Relief for Joplin and All Over

2011-05-23T13:32:00.004-04:00

I've changed the regularly scheduled Awareness for today to add in the American Red Cross. I'm pretty sure the authors won't mind at all.

In case you're a lot like me and barely listen to the news--a tornado hit a few different spots in the midwest yesterday, one spot--Joplin--was decimated. So far, there are 89 people dead and many more missing.

I urge everyone who comes to the blog today to donate to the relief effort there. Please send this blog out, help me draw awareness to the need of the families, and in return, I'm offering all the people who visit and comment a free book today and tomorrow only.

DONATE TO THE AMERICAN RED CROSS

Giveaways: (Winners will be announced on Wednesday.)

Paranormal Romance and Erotic Romance Author Allure Van Sanz (Any book you choose.)
Allure Van Sanz T-Shirts
Erotic Author Em Woods Print Book Saddle Up N Ride
Erotic Author Brindle Chase EBook copy of The Grass is Always Greener
Erotic Author Megan Hussey EBook copy of Love Revisited: Judith and Prince Valentin

Winners from these Giveaways

NYSVARA Winners:

one (1) .pdf ebook of Hyphema - Sun Singer

one (1) .pdf ebook of Final Sin - Em Woods

It Gets Better Giveaway Winners:

Erotic M/M author Em Woods EBook - Eyre

Erotic M/M author Stephani Hecht EBook - AKell

M/M Regency era Author Ava March eBook His Client - David L

Domestic Violence Giveaway Winners:

Erotic Author Megan Hussey eBook Angel on Fire - Debbie Laurie

Erotic Romance Author Nichelle Gregory is giving away a free ecopy of Hearts & Diamonds - Dawne P

Erotic Romance Author Em Petrova is giving away a free ecopy of a book in her Immortal Series titled Runes and Trefoi - Talina Perkins

Six Sentence Sunday Lovin'

2011-05-22T00:05:00.000-04:00

Shyin Long, aka Ice, is discussing her newest target over the phone with her wingman Clyps: (Taken from the 0.99 novel Murder Creek available at Amazon and Barnes and Noble)

“He always waited three weeks after the third murder. It’s time. He’ll be coming back to Third, trust me.”

She didn’t.

“‘For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son’…”

H--wha? “Did I just blink and you found Christ?”

Head back to headquarters, where other awesome authors await:
Six Sentence Sunday Blog

Meet Vic of Murder Creek for Sample Sunday

2011-05-22T00:00:00.000-04:00

Meet Vic from Murder Creek, a 0.99 full-length novel on sale now at Amazon (click picture link) and Barnes and Noble.

The downtown cityscape of Murder Creek looked the same from his window as it did behind bars. Messy. And the smell was no more pleasant.

Victor Ramsus Graves peered through the dingy glass at the park across the street and sighed. Everything in this town could be described like the swings in the distance; used and abandoned, fodder for the archeologists of the future to dig up.

This town needed a nuclear-holocaust to clean the streets. But without that option, they’d have to settle for him.

Surveying his lost territory, he ground his teeth.

The dregs of Neuhaven ended up here, the city’s cesspit, where the suburb circle dumped their human trash. Drug dealers, pimps, organized criminals, and freelance hitmen lived in the nicer blocks of Murder Creek. The poor souls they preyed on, collected in the heart of hell, huddled in run down Victorian homes only a shadow of their finer days.

Survival saw two or three families packed together, hacking out an existence in three bedroom one bath houses still using knob-and-tube electricity.

Local industries kept a few decent people in Neuhaven, but in the Murder Creek center, crime was a way of life. No matter how good you were born, sooner or later you’d turn. Everyone broke and bent the law to suit their needs, whether the culprits were Christian mamas sheltering their ‘gone-wrong’ wanted children, or grocers who didn’t bother to ask where the cheap fruit came from.

The corruption-saturated inner city never seemed to get out from underneath the pall. Even the smog blocked all but the most energetic of the sun’s rays, covering most mornings in shades of gray. And if a tourist had an irrational itch to visit, they’d probably return to their picket-fenced half acres in Middle-class-ville addicted to anti-depressants.

If they returned at all. Murder Creek had the ability to swallow people whole.
And he should know. He’d been waiting a long time in the bowels of the beast to be shit out.

Vic turned from the window and scanned his single room studio apartment as if something to help ease his boredom had magically appeared while his back was turned.
Nope, still jack to do and shit to look at.

The place wasn’t much. In fact, it wasn’t nothin’. A small television stood on top of a milk crate in the living room, perched in front of an old seventies buffet chair with metal legs and maroon vinyl stapled to the cushions. In the corner, a mattress sat lonely on the floor with a couple of old sheets thrown on it along with a crocheted afghan his buddy Grey’s grandma made for him as a ‘getting out of jail’ present.

The apartment wasn’t exactly what he’d call furnished, but he didn’t exactly get much notice to pick out curtains and wallpaper. He could barely wrap his head around the fact he’d been released at all.

One day he was sifting through a nudie magazine, plotting a way to survive the gas chamber, and the next, he received a pardon and a kick in the ass to the street.
Luckily, before anyone could hurl a bullet or a fireball at his head, Grey hustled him this hole to lay low. Here, no one asked questions, and the landlord didn’t care how much blood was on the money as long as it came in on time. What more could he ask for?

Walking to the fridge, Vic already knew there wouldn’t be much to see: A couple of ketchup packets and a six pack Grey left behind. Bleh. Never mind.

He fished an old fast food cup out of the sink, filled it with water, and carried it over to his chair. He sat down and flipped through the four channels he received, only one of which had less snow than the Himalayas.

Sighing, he flipped to another foggy channel and listened to the news.
His body jerked, and he was aware only that he’d fallen asleep and awoke alert with a nagging feeling, like he’d left his guns in the car.

But he didn’t have his guns right now—Grey did—and he didn’t have a car either.
As his blurry gaze slowly focused, his weary brain struggled to comprehend what he was seeing—a giant ass coming straight for him.

“Oh Shi--Unghh!”

He hammered his fists against the outer thighs of the sumo-wanna-be holding him pinned to his chair. Weren’t wrestlers supposed to let go when someone tapped out?

“Ge’…off!” he choked. The man just chuckled.

The more he fought him, the more pressure the gorilla applied. Vic turned his head to the side—to avoid being smothered in back fat—and came face to face with a sneaky piece-of-shit he’d hoped to never see again.

Gato’s smug smile could only be described as oil-slick, proud of himself for tracking Vic down. There weren’t many people living who knew what The Rattlesnake looked—and in Gato’s case smelled—like, and when Vic got his hands on the bastard, there would be one less.

“How’s it goin’, ese?” Gato asked, making a great show of dusting off the sleeves of his Armani suit. Vic had one just like it—if he survived this reunion he’d burn it. “I was worried someone was gonna hose you before I had the chance to collect on that favor ya owe me, eh?”

Vic sucked in a breath but couldn’t respond.

“What favor you ask? The favor of not telling your enemies where I found ya, ese. I figure—ya owe me for that and I’m thinkin’ ya don’t wanna be telling me no about now.” Gato’s grin practically slithered across his face. “Ain’t that right, Paulo?”
Paulo looked over a mountainous shoulder at him. “I had eight cheeseburgers and three orders of chili cheese fries.”

Vic struggled harder.

“Right then.” Gato squatted, resting his forearms on his bended knees. He enjoyed his bullying a little too much for Vic’s tastes. “You see I have this problem: This wart on m’culo that needs a bit of learnin’. And she’s good. Almost better than you, Man. Definitely harder to track,” Gato thumbed his nose as if gloating over his ability to sniff Vic out despite his precautionary measures.

“You might still be better on the kill than her, but you been locked up for a couple years and she’s been takin’ your shift, so t’speak. I thought I’d get her t’work for me yanno? Word on the street is that she guns for The Agency, so ya know she’s whacked. And whacked is what I needed t’get the job done.”

Vic nodded absently, trying to absorb what Gato babbled on about but his chest was pushing through his spine and he couldn’t keep his eyes open.

“Yo, Paulo, ease up a little, we’re having a conversation here!”

A continent drifted and the pressure changed, allowing Vic to draw a life saving breath.

Gato punched him in the arm. “Pay attention, Man. So look, this whore…her name’s Ice. I contracted her to steal some stones and now she ain’t givin’ ‘em up. That’s why she needs to be taught a lesson, ese. No one crosses Gato. No one!” Gato stood and paced like a lost schitzo. “But everyone I’ve sent to collect hasn’t come back. Ricky, Cuervo…my best wolves, man. Dead and torched! She gotta die, ese, and die hard. I already put a little bit of love on the streets for her tonight, yeah? Something temptin’ she ain’t likely to pass up. All you gotta do is the smearin’.”

Vic blinked to clear his vision, catching what he could of the conversation through the pain haze.

“But, don’t off the bitch before you get m’goods! Shit’s hardcore and I wan’em back. You do this for me, and I won’t tell every hired freak out there where to find your ass, yeah? I’ll keep all of my Lobos from contractin’ to track you down for the hit squads and, because I can be a generous man, I’ll pay ya good.” Gato surveyed the empty apartment then scoffed. “Looks like y’could use some green. Are we understandin’ each other?”

“Right. Stones…dead bitch.” Vic choked out.

“Ya disappoint me, and I unleash the hounds, yeah? C’mon Paulo.”

Once Paulo lifted his huge derriere off him, Vic rolled from the chair onto his hands and knees, gasping for breath. A loud squeak, like air seeping from a defective tire, brought Vic’s gaze to Paulo as he deflated from sumo-size to runt-of-the-liter. Clothes that once fit him snug, now hung off the Hawaiian’s scrawny frame.

Dark eyes twinkling, he gave Vic a two finger salute. “Welcome home, Vic.” Paulo chuckled.

Turning Away from Domestic Violence

2011-05-21T00:08:00.001-04:00

Today I'm highlighting two Domestic Violence Shelters/Organizations in attempt to bring awareness to just how prevalent domestic violence really is. Did you know, according to my ob/gyn, 40% of women have been subjected to domestic violence? I don't have any statistics on men, as they don't often report it out of fear of being considered "unmanly". But I wanted to recognize that DV DOES happen against men, too.

However, DV is so common with women that, in the delivery room, doctors try to give pregnant women 20 minutes without their significant other in the room while they ask certain questions so the women aren't pressured by their SO and can seek help if help is needed. This is a great policy to have...but unfortunately, out of the women who are abused, very few come forward or seek help. Those who do are usually in fear of the lives of their children (not so much themselves). Horrifying isn't it?

Allow me to introduce you to Megan Hussey.

"Making a Difference for Abused Women."

I remember her warmth, her humor and her intellect. I remember her beauty and her strength. And I remember the day she was murdered.

One of my earliest memories in life involves the death of a beloved cousin of mine, who was senselessly murdered at the age of 31 by a stalker.

My cousin Ivetta was a mother, career woman, political activist and a true and gentle soul. She brought so much joy to my family and we miss her every day—and it is to her I dedicate my lifelong efforts to stop violence against women.

No, I’m not among those brave people who run domestic violence shelters—but I do write news articles to generate funds and attention for these very same agencies. And in small ways, many of my romance stories address these issues. In my stories Mauve Christmas and Behold the Beauty, my heroines rescue and seek help for women in abusive households. In my Nuit series (Angel on Fire and Under Cover of the Night) and in Wild Sirens, ladies leave their emotionally and in some cases physically abusive mates for more sensitive, loving men. And in Noelle’s Nocturne, a woman saves her male partner from an act of violence and intimidation.

Sure, I do what I can; but to me the true heroines and heroes are those on the front lines of this battle, serving and protecting its victims and survivors each and every day.

I urge everyone to join this fight by supporting a domestic violence and sexual assault center in their area, just as I support Sunrise of Pasco Inc., my Make a Difference beneficiary. For my cousin and millions like her. For all of us.

Thank you for your story Megan.
Sunrise of Pasco Inc Donation Link

Megan's cousin is just one of many tragedies every minute. Which is why I asked my next visitor to shed a bit of light on what one of these shelters does for the women and children they protect.

Please Welcome, Ruth Seitelman and her charity Shelter Our Sisters.

Shelter Our Sisters.

Shelter Our Sisters (SOS) is the only private, non-profit agency dedicated to sheltering Bergen County's women and children who are victimized by domestic violence. Shelter Our Sisters provides a comprehensive umbrella of support services to help women and their dependents attain safety, build a strong foundation for healing, gain self-reliance and stop the cycle of violence. We provide a 24 hour hot line, emergency shelter program and transitional housing program helping women and their children get back into the main stream.

We have a children's program designed to stabilize a child’s environment and to counteract the effects of abuse by addressing the anxiety, depression, anger, aggression, self-esteem problems, and impaired social skill development that result from exposure to violence in the home. Together with Project Self-Sufficiency and our Follow-Up programs, women are empowered with the tools they need to manage themselves and their family.

Shelter Our Sisters is founded on the vision and belief that every person has the right to be safe, empowered, and free from violence and the fear of violence. Central to this belief, Shelter Our Sisters seeks to eliminate domestic violence. Additionally, the agency aims to reduce related social problems, such as child abuse, sexual assault, substance abuse, sexism, racism, and other forms of oppression.

Shelter Our Sisters’ mission is to assist women and children who are victims of domestic violence, including emotional, economic, sexual and physical abuse. The agency provides emergency and transitional housing, emotional support, and a diversified continuum of services focused on safety, empowerment, and self-sufficiency. Through community partnerships, Shelter Our Sisters raises awareness, provides services, and educates community members about domestic violence.

Shelter Our Sisters <~~~~ Donation Link!

Ruth would love to give away a nice tea cup and saucer to anyone who'd like to jump over to her blog and leave a comment mentioning SOS. Ruth's Blog

Other Giveaways:

Erotic Author Megan Hussey eBook Angel on Fire.
Erotic Romance Author Nichelle Gregory is giving away a free ecopy of Hearts & Diamonds
Erotic Romance Author Em Petrova is giving away a free ecopy of a book in her Immortal Series titled Runes and Trefoi

All winners from Thursday's blog to today's blog will be announced on Monday's blog. Thank you!

It Gets Better!

2011-05-20T00:56:00.004-04:00

I'm not going to bog my blog down with a huge introduction. I'll only say that one of my most favorite people and her son, are incredible for sharing their story to spread awareness for a cause that has touched my heart and made me laugh and cry...and want to smack ignorant people around. So without further yammering from me--Stephani Hecht sharing her wonderfully strong son Cody's story.

I was both honored and humbled when asked to blog on this day. Not only is The Trevor Project a wonderful and much needed organization, but I have a personal connection because I am the mother of a gay son.

Before I go on, let me preface this by saying I have his permission to share this story with the blog world. Coming out can be a difficult and very personal time in an individual’s life. But, if Cody is anything, he’s brave and he’s always willing to put himself out there and take risks in order to help others.

Looking back, I now realize I always knew Cody was gay. Not because of anything he did or said, but because a mother just always has a way of knowing these kinds of things. The truth became even clearer last summer when he was getting his senior pictures taken.

The photographer was an older man and while he was really sweet, he had no ability to read body language. Cody was having trouble loosening up for the pictures, so the gentleman kept urging Cody to “think of some cute girls” to make him smile. While I’m certain the man didn’t mean any harm, the look on Cody’s face whenever he said it, nearly broke my heart.

I wanted nothing more than to reach out and give Cody a great big hug. To tell him that’s it’s okay. That I understood him. That I would always love him no matter what. There was just one problem, Cody hadn’t come out to me yet. So I had to hold back and hope that he would soon fell comfortable enough to confide in me.

That happened a mere two weeks later. The rest of the family went to bed, while Cody and I sat up and talked. Our discussion went on until the early hours of the next morning. In the meantime, we looked at various websites, PFLAG and The Trevor Project were just a few. It was four in the morning when Cody finally turned to me.

“Do I need to say it?” he asked, his voice wavering just a bit.

“I already know, but if you want to practice on me, that’s okay,” I replied.

He took a deep breath and said, “Mom, I’m gay.”

I gave him a hug, told him I’m so damn proud of him and we’ve been so much closer ever since. Over the course of the next few months, Cody came out to all of our family. Everyone took it in stride and there was no hate thrown his way. Even better, I’ve never seen Cody more relaxed and comfortable in his skin.

I only wish coming out was that easy for all kids. All too often, however, the exact opposite happens. Teens are bullied, harassed and thrown out of their homes, all for being gay. One of the local GLBT youth centers, Affirmations, even has a shower and clothes donation room set aside to aid those kids who have no home. The Ruth Ellis Center is another Detroit organized dedicated to helping out GLBT homeless youth.

As for Cody, this has been a great year for him. Not only is he happy, but he founded the first ever Gay, Straight, Alliance at his high school. While he’s had some slurs thrown his way, on the whole, he’s really well liked at school. He also has a strong core of friends who’ve supported him all along this journey.

Many people have told me that Cody is so lucky to have such an accepting mother. I would like to argue that I’m the one who is lucky. My son is smart, sweet and most of all he’s brave as hell. I couldn’t ask for a better kid.

Now, a little bit about the It Gets Better Project. This year, in response to the rash of gay kids committing suicide, Dan Savage started a YouTube campaign. He uploaded a message on YouTube, directed at GLBT youth. In it he told the kids that, not only did he understand what they’re going through, but he urged the kids to hold on because things DO GET BETTER! The project took off like crazy and soon thousands of “It Gets Better” messages were uploaded to YouTube. I decided to share, both the Google Chrome commercial that highlighted the project, plus my favorite “It Gets Better” message. It was compiled by some employees from Pixar. Both videos are moving and always manage to bring a tear to my eyes.

-Stephani Hecht

It Gets Better-Google Chrome commercial

Pixar employees-It Gets Better

Donation Links:
The Trevor Project- http://www.thetrevorproject.org/
PFLAG National- http://community.pflag.org/Page.aspx?pid=194&srcid=-2
PFLAD Detroit- http://www.pflagdetroit.org/
Affirmations- http://www.goaffirmations.org/site/PageServer
The Ruth Ellis Center- http://www.ruthelliscenter.org/
It Gets Better Project- http://www.ruthelliscenter.org/
Mathew Shepard Foundation- http://www.matthewshepard.org/
GLSEN- http://www.glsen.org/cgi-bin/iowa/all/home/index.html
FCKH8- http://fckh8.com/SchoolLaw/ABOUT_FCKH8.html
Human Rights Campaign- http://shop.hrc.org/
All Out- http://www.allout.org/

Giveaways:
Allure Van Sanz T-shirt
Erotic M/M author Em Woods EBook.
Erotic M/M author Stephani Hecht EBook
M/M Regency era Author Ava March eBook His Client

We love NY!

2011-05-19T00:00:00.002-04:00

While doing awareness for human conditions, I received an email from a very nice woman who had a very special request. She wanted to draw attention to The New York State Volunteer Ambulance and Rescue Association. Even though it isn't awareness in support of a disease, these people put their life on the line for others. How can I say no to that? I can definitely make room during May Awareness for people who save lives without a paycheck incentive! So allow me to introduce you to one of many great people, putting themselves out there--Chelle Cordero. She's going to tell you all a bit about her organization, and for listening, she's offering up some books! See? Told you she was great. Thanks for visiting, Chelle.

There are more than one-million-six-hundred-forty-five-thousand calls for emergency medical assistance every year in New York State; a substantial portion of NYS certified emergency health providers are volunteer. Their training is equal to career EMS professionals, but their volunteer status helps keep tax bases lower. (*career/paid responders often ride many more hours weekly than their volunteer counterparts and are often necessary in high call volume areas)

The New York State Volunteer Ambulance and Rescue Association is a statewide not for profit, 501(c)(3) membership organization, active since 1939. The NYSVARA’s mission is to promote and assist the interests of the state’s community volunteer and nonprofit EMS/First Responder/First Aid sector. The association continues to keep pace with the challenges facing EMS, First Response and Rescue today. Members include: independent volunteer ambulance companies, fire district and fire related ambulance services, college and school based services, first response medical squads, rescue squads and teams, tax based ambulance and rescue companies, combination services (volunteer/career) and organizations wishing to support the spirit of community/volunteer EMS/Medical first response service as well as individual CFRs, EMTs, AEMTs, rescue workers, instructors, specialists, nurses and firefighters affiliated with these services.

NYSVARA is an information conduit with an EMS video library, samples of Standard Operating Procedures and other administrative paperwork. The organization is a frontrunner of advocacy for EMS-related legislative issues and services. They monitor bills introduced in the legislature, propose legislation and comment on regulations affecting volunteer and nonprofit emergency services.
NYSVARA also encourages education and sponsors a yearly statewide conference (Pulse Check) offering Continuing Medical Education credits, EMS products and supplies, and drill competitions. Pulse Check also provides an opportunity for recognition and camaraderie among EMS responders. Youth participation is encouraged. Learn more at http://www.nysvara.org/

National EMS Week 2011 is May 15 thru May 21. Please help support the organizations that support the people who are there when you need them most.

Contact and/or send donations to:
New York State Volunteer Ambulance & Rescue Assoication, Inc.
PO Box 254
East Schodack, NY 12063
Or email at: Sponsors(at)NYSVARA(dot)org

Giveaway:

one (1) .pdf ebook of Hyphema
one (1) .pdf ebook of Final Sin

Everyone is welcome to download a FREE .pdf ebook Nature's Gifts 2011 http://bit.ly/jXAL0s

Autoimmune Winners:

Romance and Erotic Romance Author Allure Van Sanz EBook (Your choice of Noble Books)- CJ Archer

Indie Author Dana Taylor giving away a copy of her EBook Devil Moon - Liz

Author Elaine Cantrell giving away an EBook copy of A New Dream - Helen

Autoimmune Diseases (Autism &Fibro Winners)

2011-05-16T02:20:00.003-04:00

I was at the foot doctor, getting a shot in my heel for a swollen foot that wouldn't calm itself. While there, my doctor noticed a rash on my face that surrounded my eyes and nose. "I'm not trying to alarm you," he said, "but I would really like to test you for Lupus."

Not trying to alarm me?? I went home straight away and did some research and I FREAKED. Reading the list of symptoms on WebMD, I was certain, within seconds, my foot doctor was correct. I had Lupus.

Luckily, I found out later, after many, many tests, I have Fibromyalgia and that it mirrors the symptoms of Lupus, even down to the rash I can get on my face. I still have to go through tests every year to make sure I'm not developing one of SEVERAL autoimmune diseases. (I'll include the daunting list shortly.)

A wonderful woman I know has Lupus. She's lost parts of herself, most recently ALL of her teeth are gone. She's in her early twenties.

I haven't spoken to her in a while, having moved away, but she's constantly in my thoughts, and I ask after her whenever I talk to my MIL. She's the reason I added this cause to May Awareness. At least, the biggest part.

I also know a young man with Vitiligo, which means his skin loses pigmentation. Blotches of white takes over his beautiful bronze flesh, turns his hair white one patch at a time and makes him look older than he is. At this stage, he's slowly watching it develop, not knowing how to stop it.

Before you blow this condition off as no big deal, think about the emotional ramifications of your face turning colors...and what people will think when they see your face, your arms, your legs, and even your privates all blotched. Can you honestly say you wouldn't be startled to see a visual discoloration in a private area you weren't expecting...how about on someone's face? Could you look passed the multiple colors or would you wonder what they had and if you could catch it? You'd be normal to do so, but it's those thoughts that haunt those with this condition.

Autoimmune diseases are everywhere. Chances are you or someone you love will discover you have one of these conditions at some point. Don't believe me? Check out this list provided by American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association, Inc.

List of Autoimmune and Autoimmune-Related Diseases

Acute Disseminated Encephalomyelitis (ADEM)
Acute necrotizing hemorrhagic leukoencephalitis
Addison's disease
Agammaglobulinemia
Allergic asthma
Allergic rhinitis
Alopecia areata
Amyloidosis
Ankylosing spondylitis
Anti-GBM/Anti-TBM nephritis
Antiphospholipid syndrome (APS)
Autoimmune angioedema
Autoimmune aplastic anemia
Autoimmune dysautonomia
Autoimmune hepatitis
Autoimmune hyperlipidemia
Autoimmune immunodeficiency
Autoimmune inner ear disease (AIED)
Autoimmune myocarditis
Autoimmune pancreatitis
Autoimmune retinopathy
Autoimmune thrombocytopenic purpura (ATP)
Autoimmune thyroid disease
Autoimmune urticaria
Axonal & neuronal neuropathies
Balo disease
Behcet’s disease
Bullous pemphigoid
Cardiomyopathy
Castleman disease
Celiac disease
Chagas disease
Chronic fatigue syndrome**
Chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP)
Chronic recurrent multifocal ostomyelitis (CRMO)
Churg-Strauss syndrome
Cicatricial pemphigoid/benign mucosal pemphigoid
Crohn’s disease
Cogans syndrome
Cold agglutinin disease
Congenital heart block
Coxsackie myocarditis
CREST disease
Essential mixed cryoglobulinemia
Demyelinating neuropathies
Dermatitis herpetiformis
Dermatomyositis
Devic's disease (neuromyelitis optica)
Discoid lupus
Dressler’s syndrome
Endometriosis
Eosinophilic fasciitis
Erythema nodosum
Experimental allergic encephalomyelitis
Evans syndrome
Fibromyalgia**
Fibrosing alveolitis
Giant cell arteritis (temporal arteritis)
Glomerulonephritis
Goodpasture’s syndrome
Graves' disease
Guillain-Barre syndrome
Hashimoto's encephalitis
Hashimoto’s thyroiditis
Hemolytic anemia
Henoch-Schonlein purpura
Herpes gestationis
Hypogammaglobulinemia
Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP)
IgA nephropathy
IgG4-related sclerosing disease
Immunoregulatory lipoproteins
Inclusion body myositis
Insulin-dependent diabetes (type1)
Interstitial cystitis
Juvenile arthritis
Juvenile diabetes
Kawasaki syndrome
Lambert-Eaton syndrome
Leukocytoclastic vasculitis
Lichen planus
Lichen sclerosus
Ligneous conjunctivitis
Linear IgA disease (LAD)
Lupus (SLE)
Lyme disease, chronic
Meniere’s disease
Microscopic polyangiitis
Mixed connective tissue disease (MCTD)
Mooren’s ulcer
Mucha-Habermann disease
Multiple sclerosis
Myasthenia gravis
Myositis
Narcolepsy
Neuromyelitis optica (Devic's)
Neutropenia
Ocular cicatricial pemphigoid
Optic neuritis
Palindromic rheumatism
PANDAS (Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcus)
Paraneoplastic cerebellar degeneration
Paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH)
Parry Romberg syndrome
Parsonnage-Turner syndrome
Pars planitis (peripheral uveitis)
Pemphigus
Peripheral neuropathy
Perivenous encephalomyelitis
Pernicious anemia
POEMS syndrome
Polyarteritis nodosa
Type I, II, & III autoimmune polyglandular syndromes
Polymyalgia rheumatica
Polymyositis
Postmyocardial infarction syndrome
Postpericardiotomy syndrome
Progesterone dermatitis
Primary biliary cirrhosis
Primary sclerosing cholangitis
Psoriasis
Psoriatic arthritis
Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis
Pyoderma gangrenosum
Pure red cell aplasia
Raynauds phenomenon
Reflex sympathetic dystrophy
Reiter’s syndrome
Relapsing polychondritis
Restless legs syndrome
Retroperitoneal fibrosis
Rheumatic fever
Rheumatoid arthritis
Sarcoidosis
Schmidt syndrome
Scleritis
Scleroderma
Sjogren's syndrome
Sperm & testicular autoimmunity
Stiff person syndrome
Subacute bacterial endocarditis (SBE)
Susac's syndrome
Sympathetic ophthalmia
Takayasu’s arteritis
Temporal arteritis/Giant cell arteritis
Thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP)
Tolosa-Hunt syndrome
Transverse myelitis
Ulcerative colitis
Undifferentiated connective tissue disease (UCTD)
Uveitis
Vasculitis
Vesiculobullous dermatosis
Vitiligo
Wegener’s granulomatosis
**NOTE Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue are listed, not because they are autoimmune, but because many persons who suffer from them have associated autoimmune disease(s)

Can you believe that massive list? It should scare you a little. But what I really hope it does, is move you into making a donation. ::smiles:: In a perfect world, no one would have to experience any of these conditions...maybe we can help make that a reality. ::hugs::

Thank you so much for coming today, and please consider donating to:

AARDA American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association, Inc. <~~~DONATION LINK

Today's Giveaways:

Romance and Erotic Romance Author Allure Van Sanz EBook (Your choice)
Indie Author Dana Taylor giving away a copy of her EBook Devil Moon
Author Elaine Cantrell giving away an EBook copy of A New Dream

FIBRO WINNERS:

Allure Van Sanz EBook (your choice of Noble Romance book)or T-shirt (Winner's choice) - Molli

Allure Van Sanz EBook (your choice of Noble Romance book) - Susan

Allure Van Sanz T-shirt - Bonnie F.

Erotic Author KevaD eBook Sunday Awakening - Dena Celeste

AUTISM WINNERS:

Romance Author Lee Ann Sontheimer Murphy’s Paranormal Romance Love Tattoo - Patti Shenberger

Author Rachel Firasek is giving away a signed print copy of Piper’s Fury - Kat Jameson

Quilting Genius Helen from Cute and Cuddly Quilts is giving away a free small quilt (pictured) - Suzie Quint

Trip Around The World Mega Blog Hop: Ticket to Paradise

2011-05-15T22:30:00.001-04:00

Welcome to Tonto National Park! I'll be your guide, Allure Van Sanz. Come follow me on a journey of self-exploration inspired by the natural beauty of this incredible destination.

For New Years, my man took me to the perfect spot. Or I should say, the most perfect spot for me to start a new year.

The first book I ever wrote for publication was titled From the Ruins. The story is about a fictitious me and a fictitious version of my man, far away at some ruins in search of an injured snake. The ruins possess the pair and turns their "friendship" into a hot relationship filled with erotic exploration. I remember how excited I was when I got the contract for this book. A whole new world opened up for me--only, I'd forgotten all about it until I stared up at the ruins in Tonto. There...way...way up at the top of this mountain (or maybe just a really big hill) was the remains of a long dead civilization, like in my book. I *had* to make the climb and see it.

The view was fantastic, the breathtaking beauty making me all the more determined to get my fat-butt up to the top and look out over what I'd seen on the way.

Once I was at the top, wheezing and vowing to exercise more, I had this incredible moment of wonder. There I stood, in front of the ruins, becoming possessed by the history seeping into my skin.

I couldn't stop touching the rocks. Wherever it seemed logical for someone to rest their hand or lean against the stone, I did it, looking to put my own timeless spiritual mark on the place. I really love places like Tonto. Full of nature, history, and breathtaking views. I plan to go back now that it isn't winter, and climb a few of the lesser known trails to get to some of the lesser tourist-y parts. I'll let you know how it goes.

GIVEAWAY: This week, I'll be giving away vacation packages! A book to read on the plane (one of your choosing from my Noble Romance novels) and a T-shirt to wear!

All you have to do is tell me where you spent your favorite vacation, and where you'd like to go most. Two answers to qualify. I'd love to have you follow my blog and friend me on Facebook, but you don't need to do that to win. It should would be great though. LOL I always need new people to babble to and chat with. Facebook Me!

Thank you for allowing me to show you around Tonto.

Next Blog on the tour is: Sherry Gloag

If you came to my blog and you're wondering where to start the hop/tour, and what it is, please visit Kristine Cheney.

Or follow these:
TOUR RULES:

1) HAVE FUN!!!

2) INVITE ALL OF YOUR FRIENDS!!! SPREAD THE WORD!!!

3) THIS TOUR STARTS: Monday, May 16, at Midnight (Arizona Time)
THIS TOUR ENDS: Monday, May 23, at Midnight (Arizona Time)

4) MEET AND MINGLE WITH ALL THE AUTHORS! EXPERIENCE A NEW DESTINATION AT EVERY STOP! PARTICIPATE IN EVERY BLOG CONTEST AND BE ENTERED FOR CHANCES TO WIN MULTIPLE PRIZES! EVERY BLOG VISITED IS ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY TO WIN!!

5) PARTICIPATION AT EVERY BLOG IS RECOMMENDED. BUT REMEMBER: THE MORE YOU HOP, THE MORE CHANCES YOU HAVE TO WIN. EVERY AUTHOR IS WAITING TO MEET AND INTERACT WITH YOU, SO PLEASE BE SURE TO SHOW EVERY AUTHOR SOME LOVE!

6) DID I MENTION TO HAVE FUN? WHOO! HOO!! HERE WE GOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Six Sentence Sunday

2011-05-15T00:05:00.001-04:00

Shyin Long, aka Ice, is discussing her newest target over the phone with her wingman Clyps: (Taken from the 0.99 novel Murder Creek available at Amazon and B&N)

“This ‘Serial’ was imported from New England where he killed six girls in six major cities, probably to throw off the locals which, in the Creek, he doesn’t have to worry about as much.”

“What’s the pattern? How do you know it’s the same guy?”

“The streets are the pattern.”

“Uh huh--” This made sense, she was sure of it, she just needed Clyps to get to the Scooby Doo reveal. “Skip to the part that has me snorting icicles.”

Head back to headquarters, where other awesome authors await: http://sixsunday.blogspot.com/

Autism and Fibro Winners

2011-05-14T00:00:00.001-04:00

Before you go skimming past the story Rachel and her sister have shared with us today, I want to share with you an article that may make you pay more attention to this condition: Rise in Autism

Now I'll turn over the blog post to Rachel Firasek, author of one of today's giveaways! Look at that great cover! Take it away, Rachel.

I remember a two-year-old toddler running around my legs. Screaming or laughing, either way we loved him. I remember holding him tight and rocking him to sleep when no one else could. My nephew was a bright and healthy boy that we never saw enough.
My brother is military and his wife and sons are the world to him. I’ll never forget the day they both tried to convince me that something wasn’t quite “right” with that sweet child. As he aged, they would visit and he became more agitated. His moods more disturbed and his speech non-existent, they began to have him tested for behavioral disorders.
I remember thinking, “No. He just needs some discipline in his life”—not necessarily corporal just consistent—but each parent has their own way of dealing with things. It’s taken me many years of maturity to see more than my side of things.
The funny thing about learning and maturing is that although my brother, his wife, and I don’t always see eye-to-eye on parenting, I always feel that those boys know that they are loved when in my home. Regardless of when my nephew is having problems, which he doesn’t have too many “melt downs” when he’s at my home, I fight the urge to snatch him up and shake a finger in his face because I do realize that his parents are trained in dealing with his needs.
Now that he’s older and the effects of his disorder are more pronounced, I’m finding that it’s time for a new way of thinking. I’m sad that I didn’t offer more support to my brother and his wife when they needed it most, but I hope that they’ve always known that I’ve always loved my nephews.
It’s very difficult standing on the outside looking in. You don’t see the day-to-day hardships—the tantrums, the “melt-downs”, the sleep disorders, or any of the other problems that crop up with this disorder. It seems that each time they visit, the rules change. For every road they cross, a new broken-bridge pops up. I asked my sister-in-law to spare a few words about this disorder and to give us the other side of the story. The inside looking out and here is what she shared with me.

“When you have a child with autism, the entire family system is affected. The family dynamics change— in good ways and in bad. Things once so simple, like a quick trip to the grocery store for milk, can become a nightmare. Many times, families start to feel very isolated and alone. Friends aren't sure how to deal with things and aren't sure how to help and often stay away. Even going to family members for holidays can be difficult when well meaning, but ill-informed members show little compassion and understanding.

What the entire family needs is for family members and friends to educate themselves. Education is key because it takes away the fear that so many feel because they simply do not understand our kiddos. There are so many misconceptions out there about our kids! What looks like misbehavior, might be the only way our child can communicate, or they may be telling us that something in their environment is causing them discomfort. Our Kiddos really aren't that different from any other kids. They are loving and need the same things all kids need. What you can do is reach out to your friends and family members because what they need more than anything is support, unconditional love, and understanding.”

Inspired and challenged by my own son's diagnosis of autism, I return to school receiving my masters in psychology. In wanting to understand my son's behavior, I was lead to the field of Applied Behavior Analysis where I am currently fulfilling the requirements to become a Board Certified Behavior Analyst. I work one on one with a range of children on the autism spectrum providing in home ABA therapy.---Jenifer Stone

While digging through www.autism-society.org I found this fact that struck tears in my eyes for our race, “Fastest-growing developmental disability; 1,148% growth rate.” I don’t know about you, but when I see a number that size, I’m instantly struck with shock. It’s only a matter of time, and breeding, before someone close to you will have to suffer through this disorder or watch their child suffer. We have to get involved and as my sister-in-law stated, “Get Educated.” I’m very happy I’ve been given this opportunity to help with such a worthwhile cause and, hopefully, I’ve helped you understand both sides of the story.

Today's charity spotlight:
Autism Research Institute <~~~~Donation LINK

Giveaways:

Romance Author Lee Ann Sontheimer Murphy’s Paranormal Romance Love Tattoo
Author Rachel Firasek is giving away a signed print copy of Piper’s Fury.
Quilting Genius Helen from Cute and Cuddly Quilts is giving away a free small quilt

Fibromyalgia Winners: (After Blogger mess up, I'm still missing some posts. I'm going to delay the announcement for a few days and allow people to continue to post there.)

Fibromyalgia and Diabetes Winners

2011-05-11T21:00:00.000-04:00

I've mentioned before, and I'll say it again. I have Fibromyalgia. I wrote often in a blog of mine about Fibro and the ways to combat it and improve every day living. I do really well, but I won't lie, every day is a struggle to keep up my good pain days. I have pain every day. The trick is in managing pain. I have a chemical sensitivity that keeps me from taking pain medication, so I've had to take some drastic measures. I have to push through pain every day to workout. But working out keeps me feeling energized. It's how I'm able to write, clean, and basically get out of bed every morning, but it's a constant battle against not only pain, but lack of ambition, tiredness, and a constant urge to give up. My brain is telling me I hurt too much to do anything and I have to argue with it. LOL

Some of the crazier symptoms of Fibromyalgia (Like random pain for no reason isn't crazy enough):

-small or non-existent "moons" on the fingernails while thumbnails have dramatic crescents.
-delayed reactions to pain. The first time I knew something wasn't right was when I pulled my heavy carry-on baggage out of the overhead compartment, and my arm felt like it was going to fall off two days later.
-short term memory impairment. In the past, my family used to think I was joking when I'd go into the kitchen for something and stand their for five minutes, unable to remember what brought me in there. This happens to everyone sometimes. It happens to me about 20 times per day.
-skin sensitivity. When I shave my legs, it feels like I'm shaving off a layer of skin. Sometimes I can't wear anything to bed and I can't have the covers on parts of my body. If there is a crumb in my bed, I feel it like it's a rock. Fibro Mates and I call this the "Princess and the Pea" syndrome.

"No Way! Constant pain and weird symptoms? You must be making it up. You must be bored, or looking for attention...etc." People, for years, have made fun of the diagnosis of Fibro and though the stigma is lessening, it's still there. My current Neuro is sure that I have a birth defect that's as of yet been discovered. But I feel doctors who aren't ready to accept what's in front of them, are really missing the mark.

Allow me to introduce you to another sufferer. Virginia Kentner, wife of author David Kentner. She was kind enough to do a quick write-up of HER experience with Fibro.

"Fibromyalgia…I was diagnosed with this disease in 2002 after many tests to rule out other diseases. I originally went to the doctor because I was not able to pick up a cup of coffee without severe pain in my left arm. I went thru a lot of tests before it was correctly diagnosed. When I went to the rheumatologist, he knew within ten minutes of examining me, including touching my pressure points that it was indeed fibro. I am not sure when I first got it but I know that I suffered with a lot of pain throughout my middle age.

Being diagnosed was the easy part, now what to do about the disease. The doctor put me on Celebrex and that seemed to help for about 2 years. Then the pain kept getting worse and when I would go to the Doctor he just kept telling me there was nothing more that he could do for me, so depression set in for about a year.

Along with fibro I then started having back problems (herniated disc) and sciatica. I went to another doctor to get my disc taken care of which involved injections to fight pain, but with such intense pain he finally prescribed a fentynal pain patch, which not only helped my back, but also helped with my fribro. There are mornings that I have a very hard time getting going, and sometimes when I get up from sitting I have to make sure my legs are as ready to go as I am. If I miss my pain medications I cannot function, as the pain is so intense that all I can think about is the pain until I get some kind of relief. Other factors that will send me into a fibro attack is stress, activities and weather (I cannot handle any cold…weather, wind, air conditioning, ice packs) those factors make me want to stay on the couch all day and do nothing at all except sleep to escape the pain.

I believe that it is inherited since my Mother (never diagnosed with Fibro) had many of the same symptoms and several of my sisters and brothers show the same complications (I am the youngest of twelve), some have been diagnosed and others just never went to doctor to be technically diagnosed.

Another major side effect of fibro is called fibro fog, which affects my memory and concentration. I know at my age that it gets harder to remember names, dates, places, etc but the fibro fog makes it more intense.

Another major side effect is sense of feeling, sometimes it hurts to just have someone hug me or to let my pets sit on my lap, and holding a baby has to be limited since it feels like you have held them (your arms just ache) for an hour and it’s only been fifteen minutes.

Another side effect is the clothes that you can wear, nothing over the head cuz it hurts too much to put on, no blue jean material because it makes your legs ache twice as much, layers of warm, soft clothing (I wear insulated underwear seven months out of twelve), nothing too tight that will make you ache more.

Another side effect is that it has basically changed your whole life and taken over all aspects of what you used to be."

Thank you Virginia, for sharing your story with us today.

If you'd like to help lessen the pain of millions of women, please consider donating to:

American Fibromyalgia Syndrome Association <~~~~Donation link!

Giveaways:
Allure Van Sanz EBook (your choice of Noble Books)
Allure Van Sanz T-shirt,
Erotic Author KevaD eBook Sunday Awakening

Winners of Giveaway for Diabetes: (Please email me at allurevansanz@aol.com)

Allure Van Sanz EBook (Your choice of Noble Books) - Sarah J McNeal
Author Lisa Beth Darling’s EBook Dream Weaver - Debbie Laurie
Author Fiona McGier’s print copy of Secret Love - Lori McPhetridge

Congratulations. And thank you for your continued support.

All my best,
Allure

Type 2 Diabetes And Weekend Winners

2011-05-09T00:56:00.003-04:00

I hated the yucky orange stuff!

When I was pregnant with my daughter, I remember guzzling down this gross orange flat soda tasting drink so that I could get tested for gestational diabetes. Pffft. Like I'd EVER have that. I wasn't fat, I was pregnant and I wasn't even that big.

I was quite ignorant of my body back then, and I learned quickly how little I knew about food and health, and most importantly, diabetes.

As you probably suspect, I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes and the last 5 months of my pregnancy I had to stick my fingers five times a day to take samples of my blood. I visited a nutritionist to figure out how to manage my diet, and though I did quite well, I admit I cried a lot. ALL of my cravings had to go unanswered--equal to the withdrawals you get from quitting smoking--and with the addition of raging, crazy pregnant hormones.

What a nightmare, I thought. I made it all the way to delivery and as soon as my daughter came out...I ordered pizza an hour later. Phew...my ordeal was over.

Only...it wasn't. Because I was gestationally diabetic, I will now be at a higher risk for Type 2 Diabetes, which means I can't go back to the way I used to eat--not if I care about my health. Go ahead and have that junk food, Allure...but you'll only increase your risk. Yikes! I swear I hear that every time I find myself in the drive thru and I can practically see the risk-o-meter go up a notch after every piece of pizza.

I thought changing the way I ate would the end of the world. Look at all the things I can't eat anymore--and I LOVE to eat.

I realized I was looking at my life's situation all wrong. There are so many people out there, struggling to keep Diabetes from consuming them, and I'm lamenting about not being able to eat pizza whenever I want?

I truly believe this country suffers from food ignorance. We have no idea what we put in our mouths, we just eat what tastes best. Not everyone of course, but a HUGE chunk of people. I was included in that group until I decided to change.

Of course I love cheeseburgers and pizza. I've eaten them so much, I've trained myself to crave them. Now I'm working on training myself to crave good foods. I'm not saying I have to swear off everything (though one day I really do want to get to a point where I saw "ewww greasy pizza"--not there yet) but moderation is key. We don't treat ourselves occasionally, we turn treats into a daily staple.

Why did this post turn into a food rant? Good question. Let me show you some stats.

From CDC and Wikipedia:

A number of lifestyle factors are known to be important to the development of type 2 diabetes. In one study, those who had high levels of physical activity, a healthy diet, did not smoke, and consumed alcohol in moderation had an 82% lower rate of diabetes. When a normal weight was included, the rate was 89% lower. In this study, a healthy diet was defined as one high in fiber, with a high polyunsaturated to saturated fat ratio, and a lower mean glycemic index. Obesity has been found to contribute to approximately 55% of cases of type 2 diabetes, and decreasing consumption of saturated fats and trans fatty acids while replacing them with unsaturated fats may decrease the risk. The increased rate of childhood obesity between the 1960s and 2000s is believed to have led to the increase in type 2 diabetes in children and adolescents.

Like heart disease, for those who have inherited the issue, lifetime maintenance is VERY important. Peer pressure, lack of nutritional options, and frustration can cause diabetes patients to push their boundaries. I think if we were all a little more aware of diabetes and how to eat healthier, we could get one step closer to minimizing the "spread". One big step is having caloric counts/sugar counts on menus in every restaurant.

Go ahead, ask to look at the nutrition information on a menu at a popular chain restaurant. Some still don't have a breakdown menu available, but for the ones that do...remember...on average at 1500-2000 calorie diet is considered good. The truth might scare the crap out of you.

Now...there are several more issues with Diabetes than just diet, but for me, diet is the one thing I've learned about and can speak about. I don't have diabetes, and I don't feel comfortable doing a write-up on all the different symptoms, emotional affects, etc. Please, PLEASE read up on diabetes and consider donating to the following charity for research:

Diabetes Action <~~~~~Donation Link

Action for Healthy Kids <~~~~Donation Link

Giveaways:

Allure Van Sanz EBook (Your choice of Noble Releases)
Author Lisa Beth Darling’s EBook Dream Weaver
Author Fiona McGier’s print copy of Secret Love

All you need to do to enter is leave a comment. Donations are not required, though appreciated.

St. Jude's Winners: (Please contact me at allurevansanz@aol.com so I can set you up with your goodies.)

Allure Van Sanz T-shirt - J.A. Beard

Indie YA author Amanda Brice giving away her YA EBook CODENAME: DANCER - Valerie Mann

Children’s Author Margaret Rose giving away a free, autographed copy of her children’s book First Spring. - Maeve

Heart Health Winners:

Allure Van Sanz T-shirt - blackroze

Erotic Romance Author Brindle Chase EBook Trading Up - Haven

Erotic Romance Author Brindle Chase EBook The Grass is Always Greener - Dean Y

Again, thank you all for coming and showing your support. Please considering Tweeting the link, sharing on facebook, and sending out to your loops and friends through email. Help spread the awareness, and hey...free stuff!

Six Sentence Sunday #3 for me!

2011-05-08T00:05:00.001-04:00

If You're interested in reading more than just bits and pieces of this scene, look to the Sample Sunday post below this one. Otherwise, here's the continuation of Shy's (a.k.a. Ice's) introduction.

“He’ll show up, Ice,” Clyps said, trying to convince her over the phone. “The police haven’t cracked his pattern but I have. Father John picks the girls from three different streets: Third, Main, and Sixth.”

“And that means what?” She looked over her shoulder, noticing a couple of the hookers shifting closer to her. “Damn, this could get ugly. If they’re enhanced--I’m fucked.”

Head back to headquarters, where other awesome authors await: http://sixsunday.blogspot.com/

Sample Sunday--Murder Creek

2011-05-08T00:00:00.002-04:00

Here's the first chapter from my Urban Fantasy/Paranormal Romance Murder Creek available at Amazon and B&N for only 0.99. Links are on the right below the list of donating authors. I hope you enjoy.

No doubt about it, the whores on the corner were forming a lynching party.

In two minutes, they’d call in their homicidal gang-banger pimps and Shyin Long’s half-Finnish, half-Asian ass would be turned into bullet pulp. Or quite possibly burnt rump roast.

Breathing her last breath in this place would ruin the epic end she’d always envisioned for herself, like dying in a hail of bullets after being chased to the ends of some exotic island with smelly flowers.

Here, the air stunk of delusions and cheap perfume wrapped around mildew and sewage. And she wasn’t surrounded by worthy enemies, but tall buildings that smothered the intersection like irate bookies owed money by the single street lamp.

The whole area promised death, each alley a murderer’s pathway and a victim’s labyrinth. Mulched up newspaper and fast food wrappers fertilized the pavement, rolled up to give the illusion of ripples from either rain water or a healthy stream of urine. Not exactly a clean landing pad for her corpse if she were killed out here.

“Hey, uhm. Just, waitin’ for a ride and all. Not stayin’,” Shyin mumbled, doing her best to sound non-threatening.

The prostitutes, of course, were taking her excuse and distance, as a sign of weakness, filling the air with the stench of doom.

Great.

Shy surveyed the scene, trying to look casual while calculating a good place to dive for cover.

The ‘workin’ gals’ hung off the curb, whispering to one another, probably deciding the pecking order of who would smack her first. Against her better judgment, Shy turned from them to whisper into her cell.

“My feet are killing me, my nose is frozen, and I stick out like a yellow sprinkle in a batch of chocolate.”

The laugh on the other end of the line made her want to reach through the phone and strangle her back-up man.

“I’m serious, Clyps. This guy better show because the natives are already E-Baying my jacket.”

Clyps cleared his throat like he was trying to bring himself under control. He failed hard, and she absently wondered what he’d look like missing a few teeth. Not that she had much of a “before” to compare the “after” with. The Agency didn’t allow face-to-face meetings between operatives and their handlers.

“He’ll show up, Ice.” He tried to convince her over the phone. “The police haven’t cracked his pattern but I have. Father John picks the girls from three different streets: Third, Main, and Sixth.”

“And that means what?” She looked over her shoulder, noticing a couple of the hookers shifting closer to her. “Damn. This could get ugly. If they’re enhanced, I’m fucked.”

“If they were enhanced, you’d already be fucked.”

No arguing with that logic.

“Still, getting out of here before their boyfriends or pimps show up would be hot.”

Shy stretched her shoulders and pulled the trench tighter around her back knowing the movement would show the outline of a pair of .22s complete with silencers. Another quick glance over her shoulder and she saw the prostitutes retreating.

Yippy, the message had been sent without taking a bolt of fire to the face or any other number of unpleasant enhancement possibilities.

The chance she’d run into someone with unmapped power was slim since The Agency kept a pretty good map of who could do what in the area. But no system was infallible, including The Agency’s, giving her the opportunity to earn money tracking rogue Enhancers and blocking their march down the road of world domination.

And truthfully, she enjoyed being a roadblock. Getting paid to erase idiots, who would spend their kids’ college funds trying to cheat at life, brought her snippets of warm, fuzzy happiness.

Today, like most other days, she’d get her skippy-fix hunting down another Enhanced psycho who believed his stolen powers gave him the right to victimize.

The target: A fake preacher who had a penchant for burning young prostitutes from the inside out. She’d teach him the same lesson she taught his predecessors: Murder Creek had a secret to protect, and no one walked away after threatening it.

“Okay so Third, Main, and Sixth. He’s already hit all those streets, and yet here I stand on Third Street working on turning my street name into a description.”

“This ‘Serial’ was imported from New England where he killed six girls in six major cities, probably to throw off the locals which, in the Creek, he doesn’t have to worry about as much.”

“What’s the pattern? How do you know it’s the same guy?”

“The streets are the pattern.”

“Uh huh.” This made sense, she was sure of it. She just needed Clyps to get to the Scooby Doo reveal. “Skip to the part that has me snorting icicles.”

“He always waited three weeks after the third murder. It’s time. He’ll be coming back to Third. Trust me.”

She didn’t.

“‘For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son’…”

“Did I blink and you found Christ?”

“It’s a passage from the Bible, Ice. A popular one.”

“Yeah that’s great. What the fuck does it have to do with this contract?” Shy turned to face the street, leaning her back against the brick wall of an ‘industry that was’.

“Main Street used to be called First Street back in the 19th century.”

She frowned and thought back to the street names: Third, First, Sixth. “Three one six.”

“John 3:16. It’s the popular passage I quoted.”

He sounded proud of himself.

“Well aren’t you clever? And if he decides to move on to another passage? Maybe John 8:12?”

Shy grinned hearing the frantic tapping of his fingers and decided to give his search engine a rest. “I am the light of the world, whoever follows me—will have the light of life.”

Clyps cleared his throat. “I thought you didn’t know the Bible.”

She shrugged at the phone. “I don’t. That was on a Christmas card the orphanage sent me years ago.”

“And you remember it? That’s a damned fine memory you’ve got.”

Shy didn’t bother to respond. In truth, she’d read the card every year at Christmas when hormones made her long for family. The card sat safely locked away in a bank vault where no one but she knew it existed. If anyone found out the assassin known as ‘Ice’ had a soft spot around December, she’d never hear the end of it.

She wrapped her arms around her chest, huddling in the large black leather trench that matched her thigh-high four-inch stiletto heels. “Tell me again why I can’t be tucked away in a warm car wearing something that doesn’t scream ‘80s stripper?” The ensemble did nothing for her future frostbite.

“The only people with cars on Third Street are pimps, drug dealers, and cops. He wouldn’t show if he saw one.”

“Maybe he won’t show anyway with my Wonder Bread ass out here.” Shy pinioned the phone between her ear and shoulder, rubbing her hands up and down her arms again.

“It’s a nice Wonder Bread ass. I’d show,” he mumbled.

“What was that?”

“Said, stick to the back and he won’t notice you.”

She let him get away with the lie. “I’m never that lucky, Clyps. Just hang on the phone and tell me a story or something interesting.”

After fifteen minutes of him talking about his super computer and his father’s newest job complaints, Shy damned near fell asleep.

Luckily, a man dressed in priest garb strolled up to the corner, rescuing her from a third snooze-worthy story. Shy personally thanked Jesus. “Here’s our boy, I think.”

“Good, now get in the shadows and watch from a dis—”

“Your part’s done here, darlin. Call you when it’s done,” she whispered, ending the call.

The shiny front of the phone became the perfect mirror to watch the scene behind her, but she had to hold her breath to hear the conversation.

“It’s never too late for the Lord, child. Come with me, we’ll talk, fill your stomach with food and I’ll pay you for a full night.”

“Oooo child! Take it!” One of the older prostitutes urged the youngest. “Ain’t no man gonna pay ya that much for nothing!”

The girl looked nervous when she took the arm of Father John, probably expecting to burst into flames for her sinner lifestyle. Shy rolled her eyes. She hated the real preachers of the world, so a fake one was double the asshole in her opinion.

When the mark and his target walked across the street, Shy reached into her pocket to grab a set of sticky rubber pads. She pressed them to the bottoms of her heels to absorb any noise her steps might make. No need to spoil the moment by announcing the fact she tailed them. The bastard would probably run the second her stiletto hit the pavement.

A chase scene in these shoes would literally kill her.

“Where ya think yer goin’? Ya ain’t gonna spoil tha’ one’s free ride, hunny, I dun care what ya carryin’ in tha’ coat of yers!”

The older hooker grabbed Shy by the arm, yanking her back to the curb and leaving her with two options: She could shoot the bitch and be on her way, risking the job, or she could give the whore a quick, but less-satisfying, lesson.

Before the elder prostitute could rant another word, Shy wrapped her fingers around the hoe’s neck, squeezing her Adam’s apple. Adam’s apple? Oh hell, penis! She’d definitely be scarred for life, but she had no time to stretch her brain around the tranny madness.

“Okay. Let’s stand here while you play your old bitch card and we wrestle a little bit, maybe a few hair pulls and face smacks, until I get bored and turn off your inside light. While we’re tussling, that sick fuck has time to start cutting on the young hoe who just left with him. Then he’s going to do all sorts of unholy things to her body while she’s dying. About that time, I’ll catch up to him with your blood still dripping down my bra-top. I’ll put a bullet in his brain pan and still get paid while your little friend chokes her last breath. It’s probably for the best anyway. A life of whoring is a life just waiting to die, isn’t it?”

The older she-male blinked, instantly dropping her—his hand from Shy’s arm. “Don’t—don’t let him kill ’er. I tol’ her she’d be alrigh’.”

“I do my job. Your friend isn’t my fuckin’ problem.” She released her death grip and turned.

“Tha’s some cold bitch righ’ there!” The whore lamented behind her as Shy jogged across the road.

Yeah, that was the rumor.

Thank you for reading.

Heart Health

2011-05-07T00:00:00.001-04:00

When I was thirteen years old, I walked into my house after being called out of school early, and was shocked to see my mother in my kitchen with red, swollen eyes. I had that moment of panic where I wanted someone to tell me what was going on right now! I didn't want them to stall and think of a way to break the news to me.

My uncle Butch died of a heart attack, they'd said. He'd had them before and was on medication to prevent more, and he seemed to be doing well. But I think, like many others before him, he thought medication would be enough. He'd be fine. It proved to be untrue. He was 45.

I kept thinking, if I'd been older, if I'd been able to bully him around and make him take care of himself, I could've saved him. Unfortunately, he wasn't the only one in my family with bad habits. My grandmother, years later, passed away. Her horrible eating habits coupled with her smoking habit took her earlier than we'd all thought. A few years later, my second uncle passed away. A triple bypass bought him some time, but in the end, poor eating, alcohol and smoking took him too young. He was 55.

My grandfather was the last, so far, to be taken.

As I look at my mother--the last of my family on her side--I see all of the mistakes her brothers and parents made reoccurring in her, and I'm determined to eradicate them not just from her life, but from mine.

To change bad habits, you first have to figure out what they are. Of course we all know that smoking and excessive drinking are bad for the heart, but there's a lot of things we do every day (or don't do) that increases our risk of heart disease. I implore all of you to follow the link to discover the best way to proceed with your life in a heart healthy way!

Now what about heart health for children? Here are some facts taken from American Heart Association:

Thousands of infants born each year have congenital cardiovascular defects. Of those who have these defects,

4–10 percent have atrioventricular septal defect.
8–11 percent have coarctation of the aorta.
9–14 percent have tetralogy of Fallot.
10–11 percent have transposition of the great arteries.
14–16 percent have ventricular septal defects.
4–8 percent have hypoplastic left heart syndrome

Other children will develop acquired heart disease. This includes...

Arrhythmias.
Cardiomyopathies.
Kawasaki disease.
Rheumatic fever.
Familial hypercholesterolemia will affect the future of an unknown but probably large number of children.
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) with its myocarditis.

This all means there are children out there whose little hearts can't support them and we need research and better medication, as well as better education for all.

In honor of this, I'm asking you, my friends, peers, and new acquaintances, to donate to these great causes to further research and extend the reaches of heart health education.

American Heart Association
Children's Heart Link

Giveaways:

Allure Van Sanz T-shirt
Erotic Romance Author Brindle Chase EBook Trading Up
Erotic Romance Author Brindle Chase EBook The Grass is Always Greener

In order to qualify for these gifts, we ask only that you leave a comment and consider giving a donation to these wonderful charities. We'd also appreciate a tweet, a facebook status link, an email sent to loved ones...whatever you'd like to do to help us bring awareness here.

St. Jude's

2011-05-06T00:03:00.004-04:00

I remember the first time I *really* paid attention to St. Jude's. I'd seen the commercials all the time, frowned and thought how sad it is to see kid's suffering, and occasionally, I'd buy something just because the proceeds would go to them. A dollar at a fast food place here and there.

It wasn't until I woke up sometime during the night after stint of pain and depression, with the TV light blaring into my eyes that I really SAW the commercial.

For days I'd had pain and wallowed in self pity thinking, "how am I supposed to live like this...random pain for the rest of my life?" And then...glaring into my eyes was the inspiration I needed. A beautifully bald-headed soldier. So young to be facing--not a lifetime of pain--but a painfully short life-time. I cried. I watched the whole long commercial from start to finish. Hearing how these children fought so hard for just a couple hours worth of playing time. And there I sat, letting my condition take me.

In that moment, I changed my outlook on my condition, and life in general. I have lived over thirty years, and though I've had pain and problems throughout...I've lived. I have a child, I've known love, I've traveled...there's so much I've done and that I'll now do and all because of St. Jude's.

These children...these beautiful, wonderful bundles of love and inspiration, may not get the chances I've had. And they deserve it far more than I. What, then, can I do except to give and give and give until I have nothing else or until the scientists make a brilliant discovery and cure cancer and lymphoma in children?

I'm asking you, my friends, my peers, my new acquaintances. Help the children who need our support in order to survive. Help give them years instead of hours to play.

St. Jude's <~~~~~ DONATE TO ST. JUDE'S HERE

Giveaways:
Allure Van Sanz T-shirt
Indie YA author Amanda Brice giving away her YA EBook CODENAME: DANCER
Children’s Author Margaret Rose giving away a free, autographed copy of her children’s book First Spring.

For your chance to win, simply leave a comment, and please consider a donation to St. Jude's. You can help us get the word out by tweeting, facebook linking, emailing this post to your family, friends, and peers.

From the bottom of my heart, and the hearts of the donating authors...Thank you.

Here Comes MAP!

2011-05-03T00:00:00.002-04:00

I've been asked why I came up with May Awareness Project, and the answer is easy. I have an affliction or two--as most of us will at some point in our lives--and I decided to turn a negative into a positive. I have Fibromyalgia. I've probably had it my whole life, as widespread pain, stomach issues, and anxiety have followed me as far back as I can recall. I also have Costochondritis, which considering my family history, is a bad thing. More about that Saturday.

I became active after my Fibro diagnosis and ran a blog and Fibro Awareness tea parties and the like every May. After a while, though, I felt as if I were doing everything in life with a singular focus--me. There are so many other things that need equal amounts of attention, and if I could bring awareness to one, maybe I could bring awareness to many.

Thus, with the help of many generous authors and readers and really nice people!...here we are. Project Awareness!

The causes:

6th – St. Jude’s (http://www.stjude.org )

7th – American Heart Association (http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/) and Children’s Heart Link (http://www.childrensheartlink.org/)

9th – Diabetes Action (http://www.diabetesaction.org/site/PageServer?pagename=index) Action for Healthy Kids (http://www.actionforhealthykids.org/)

12th – American Fibromyalgia Syndrome Assoc. (http://www.afsafund.org/)

13th – Autism Research Institute (http://www.autism.com/index_b.asp)

14th – Colon Cancer Alliance (http://www.ccalliance.org/)

16th – American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association (http://www.aarda.org/)

18th – Citizen’s United for Research in Epilepsy (http://www.cureepilepsy.org/home.asp)

19th - NYSVARA New York State Volunteer Ambulance and Rescue Association

20th – It Gets Better Project (http://www.itgetsbetter.org/pages/about-it-gets-better-project/) The Trevor Project (http://www.thetrevorproject.org/)

21st – Shelter Our Sisters (http://shelteroursisters.org/ ) Sunrise of Pasco County Domestic Violence & Sexual Assault Center (http://www.sunrisepasco.org/donation.html)

23rd – Facioscapulohumeral Muscular Dystrophy Society (http://www.fshsociety.org/)

25th – The ALS Association (http://www.alsa.org/)

27th – American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (http://www.afsp.org/ )Depression and Suicide To Write Love On Her Arms (http://www.twloha.com/move/)

28th – Breast Cancer Research Foundation (http://www.bcrfcure.org/)

30th – Alzheimer’s Foundation of America (http://www.alzfdn.org/)

31st – Bone Marrow Registration ( http://www.marrow.org/)

The donators:

Amanda Brice
Blog: http://amandabrice.blogspot.com/

Ava March
Blog: http://avamarch.blogspot.com/

Avril Ashton
Website: http://www.avrilashton.weebly.com/
Blog: http://www.avrilashton.blogspot.com/

Brindle Chase
Website: http://www.forlorn-hope.net/

Chelle Cordero
Websit: http://chellecordero.com

Cute and Cuddly Quilts
Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Cute-and-Cuddly-Quilts/

Dana Taylor
http://www.supernalfriends.com/dana.html

Elaine Cantrell
Website: http://www.elainecantrell.com
Blog: http://www.elainepcantrell.blogspot.com

Em Woods
Web/Blog: http://www.em-woods.com/

Evangeline Collins
Website: http://www.evangelinecollins.com/

Fiona McGier
Website: http://www.fionamcgier.com

J.S. Wayne
Blog: http://jswayne.wordpress.com/

Kally Sten
Website: http://original.kallysten.net/

KevaD
Website: http://www.kevad.net/index.html
Blog: http://dakentner.blogspot.com/

Lee Ann Murphy
Website: http://leeannwriter.weebly.com
Blog: http://leeannsontheimermurphywriterauthor.blogspot.com

Lindsay Klug
Website: http://lindsaysbooks.webs.com/
Blog: http://lindsaysbooks.webs.com/apps/blog/

Lisa Beth Darling
Blog: http://lbdarling.wordpress.com/

Lyra Totten-Naylor

Margaret Rose
Blog: http://margaretrosewrites.blogspot.com/

Margie Church
Website/Blog: www.romancewithsass.com

Megan Hussey
Website: http://goldenmuse.tripod.com/

Nichelle Gregory
Website: http://www.nichellegregory.com/
Blog: http://simplysexystories.blogspot.com/

Patti Shenberger
Website: http://www.pattishenberger.com/

Rachel Firasek
Website: www.rachelfirasek.com

Ruth Seitelman
Website: www.RuthACasie.com
Blog: www.RuthACasie.Blogspot.com.

Sarah Balance
Website: http://www.sarahballance.com/
Blog: http://sarahballance.wordpress.com/

Stephani Hecht
Website: http://www.stephanihecht.com
Blog: http://stephanihechtauthor.blogspot.com

Six Sentence Sunday #2

2011-05-01T00:00:00.002-04:00

Continued from last weeks introduction of Shyin Long, aka, Ice from Murder Creek.

Shy surveyed the scene, trying to look casual while calculating a good place to dive for cover.

The ‘workin’ gals’ hung off the curb, whispering to one another, probably deciding the pecking order of who would smack her first. Against her better judgment, Shy turned from them to whisper into her cell.

“My feet are killing me, my nose is frozen, and I stick out like a yellow sprinkle in a batch of chocolate.”

The laugh on the other end of the line made her want to reach through the phone and strangle her back-up man.

“I’m serious, Clyps. This guy better show because the natives are already E-Baying my jacket.”

Head back to headquarters, where other awesome authors await: http://sixsunday.blogspot.com/

May Project Awareness Giveaway News

2011-04-28T15:31:00.005-04:00

(AUTHORS: It is not too late to donate or do a write-up for a charity. Anything that says introduction TBA is available. If there is something already taken that you wish to do a write-up on, just let me know, we can fit it in. DONATE BOOKS or SWAG: It's not too late! Up until May 4th I'll be taking donations and placing books & swag with charities. If you want to ADD A CHARITY: You must be willing to do a write-up. Thank you so much to those who already donated and please don't forget to send me your links to your website and/or blog so I can promote you. I love all you generous, kind, people. Thank you, thank you, thank you. allurevansanz@aol.com )

Beginning May 6th and lasting until June 1st, romance and erotic authors from all types of venues (print, Ebook, indie) are coming together to help bring awareness to conditions that affect us all. The human spirit is such a beautiful thing to witness, and I’d like to thank everyone who helped pull this together. Authors who donated books, swag, and even their time to do write-ups—you are pure souls, and I am humbled by your generosity.

Giveaway rules and participation: Each day a cause of a human condition is highlighted. There will be a discussion and a link to the chosen charity for donation. Participants do NOT need to donate to win the giveaway…though I hope you do. ;) Simply add your thoughts to the comments and you will be eligible. (The authors and myself would appreciate guests forwarding the link to their friends and family for further exposure/awareness, as that is the reason for these giveaways and every little bit helps.) The winners will be announced on the next awareness blog below the charity link for that day’s blog. The only exception is the May 31st blog. The winner on that day will be announced on the June 1st blog, which will round up the May events.

Who is coming when, who is giving what, and the charities list: (Editing as the donations come in)

All dates are in May:

6th – St. Jude’s (http://www.stjude.org ) Introduction by Allure Van Sanz.
Giveaways:
Allure Van Sanz T-shirt
Indie YA author Amanda Brice giving away her YA ebook CODENAME: DANCER
Children’s Author Margaret Rose giving away a free, autographed copy of her children’s book First Spring.

7th – American Heart Association (http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/) and Children’s Heart Link (http://www.childrensheartlink.org/) Introduction by Allure Van Sanz
Giveaways:
Allure Van Sanz T-shirt
Erotic Romance Author Brindle Chase Ebook Trading Up
Erotic Romance Author Brindle Chase Ebook The Grass is Always Greener

9th – Diabetes Action (http://www.diabetesaction.org/site/PageServer?pagename=index) Action for Healthy Kids (http://www.actionforhealthykids.org/) Introduction: TBA
Giveaways:
Allure Van Sanz Ebook (Your choice)
Author Lisa Beth Darling’s Ebook Dream Weaver
Author Fiona McGier’s print copy of Secret Love

12th – American Fibromyalgia Syndrome Assoc. (http://www.afsafund.org/) Introduction by KevaD and Special Guest
Giveaways:
Allure Van Sanz Ebook (your choice)
Allure Van Sanz T-shirt,
Erotic Author KevaD eBook Sunday Awakening

13th – Autism Research Institute (http://www.autism.com/index_b.asp) Introduction TBA
Giveaways:
M/M Regency era Author Ava March eBook His Client
Romance Author Lee Ann Sontheimer Murphy’s Paranormal Romance Love Tattoo

14th – Colon Cancer Alliance (http://www.ccalliance.org/) Introduction by Pattie Shenberger
Giveaways:
Author Patti Shenberger giving away a print copy of The Laird’s Lady.
Erotic author Avril Ashton’s Ebook Secret Cravings

16th – American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association (http://www.aarda.org/) Introduction by Allure Van Sanz
Giveaways:
Romance and Erotic Romance Author Allure Van Sanz Ebook (Your choice)
Indie Author Dana Taylor giving away a copy of her eBook Devil Moon

18th – Citizen’s United for Research in Epilepsy (http://www.cureepilepsy.org/home.asp) Introduction TBA
Giveaways:
Erotic Author Megan Hussey eBook copy of Love Revisited: Judith and Prince Valentin
Erotic Author Brindle Chase Ebook copy of Trading Up

20th – It Gets Better Project (http://www.itgetsbetter.org/pages/about-it-gets-better-project/) The Trevor Project (http://www.thetrevorproject.org/) Introduction by Stephani Hecht
Giveaways:
Erotic M/M author Em Woods eBook.
Erotic M/M author Stephani Hecht eBook

21st – Shelter Our Sisters (http://shelteroursisters.org/ ) Sunrise of Pasco County Domestic Violence & Sexual Assault Center (http://www.sunrisepasco.org/donation.html ) Introduction by Ruth Seitelman
Giveaways:
Historical Fantasy Author Ruth Seitelman Tea cup and saucer in shape of a heart for Shelter Our Sisters
Erotic Author Megan Hussey eBook Angel on Fire.

23rd – Facioscapulohumeral Muscular Dystrophy Society (http://www.fshsociety.org/) Introduction TBA
Giveaways:
Erotic Author Em Woods Print Book Saddle Up N Ride
Erotic Author Brindle Chase The Grass is Always Greener

25th – The ALS Association (http://www.alsa.org/) Introduction by Lyra Totten-Naylor
Giveaways:
Indie Author Kally Sten eBook Fangs and Lullabies,

27th – American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (http://www.afsp.org/ )Depression and Suicide To Write Love On Her Arms (http://www.twloha.com/move/) Introduction by J.S. Wayne
Giveaways:
Allure Van Sanz T-Shirt,
J.S. Wayne gift TBA

28th – Breast Cancer Research Foundation (http://www.bcrfcure.org/) Introduction by Lindsay Klug
Giveaways:
Historical Author Evangeline Collins Print Book Seven Nights to Forever
Lindsay Klug’s Ebook The Life and Times of Delila

30th – Alzheimer’s Foundation of America (http://www.alzfdn.org/) Introduction by Allure Van Sanz
Giveaways:
Allure Van Sanz eBook (Your choice)
Indie Author Dana Taylor giving away a copy of her eBook Devil Moon.

31st – Bone Marrow Registration ( http://www.marrow.org/) Introduction by Allure Van Sanz
Giveaways:
Allure Van Sanz T-shirt
Brindle Chase Ebook Trading Up
Brindle Chase Ebook The Grass is Always Greener

For Debbie...

2011-04-26T02:19:00.002-04:00

I love my fans...

I'm working on increasing the number so I don't feel I'm stretching the limits when I use the plural of fan. LOL But, in all sincerity, I'll never forget those who've been around from the beginning of my career, and those who are the most vocal.

Debbie is one of these.

So when she asks me what I'm working on, telling me to hurry so she can have another one of my books...I'm inspired. I start working. And to prove to her just how much her support means--I'm posting a sneak peek of what I'm working on in honor of her.

::big hugs:: I'd love to hear your thoughts, good or bad.

Excerpt below,
All my best,
AyVee

Introducing the early version of my WIP: My Savage Taking (My first erotic in first person.)

Chapter One

Pulse pounding, I rose from my chair near the hearth and walked to my window. I peeked out of the hole in my shutters, but couldn’t see anything. My panic rose, but I reminded myself how often random sounds in the night were only animals foraging for food. Still, in these uncertain times, with the South fallen and the North taking over, I knew I’d do best to send out my dog.

I crept to the door and opened it just enough to peer out and let Joe search the grounds. I still didn't see a thing, but Joe’s head lifted in warning, and like a shot from a shotgun, he barreled into the woods a few feet from my dilapidated porch.

I strained to hear news of his attack, pacing as I teetered between wanting to go out with him to help keep him safe, and blinding fear.

Joe found something, for I heard rustling and could see the faint outline of something moving. And then nothing.

The Silence haunted me. I couldn’t even hear Joe running through the brush any more.

“Joe?” I whistled for him, but he didn’t heed my call. Oh gods! I contemplated going to fetch him, and then thought better of it. Whatever took him down was sure to do the same to me, and without the aid of light, I’d be an easy kill.

I looked to the sky, searching for the promise of dawn, but finding only the pitch. The sun hadn’t finished its turn. Damn.

My fear for my dog warred with the urge to run into the house and bar myself in. Even if I found him lying hurt somewhere I wouldn’t be able to lift him. My arms were too sore from hanging deer meat in the smoke shed after a successful morning hunt. The work had been hard and grueling, harder than I’d thought and my body paid the price of my ignorance.

Everything was harder now that I was completely alone.

I closed the door and ran to the corner of the room where my shotgun waited, cursing my husband with every step. If he hadn’t run off to join the Confederates a year earlier, I wouldn’t have need of a shotgun.

We were supposed to be making a good life for ourselves. Brandford had been so sure the trapper’s life would bring in a fortune with his skills, and I, if I married him, would want for nothing.

That plan died the day Bradford’s friends left the fort, and him along with them.
At least he’d taught me how to shoot and how to trade furs, but as the months passed, the activity at the fort dwindled, and supplies were lacking. Most of the essentials were given over to the Union.

When I learned any furs I traded aided the army my husband fought against, I ceased trading for money. Not out of love, for there was none in my heart for Bradford, but out of a sense of self preservation.

My husband knew I didn’t support the Confederate cause. I’d been foolish enough to let that bit slip and received several swats on my backside because of it. If he came home and discovered I’d helped supply the Union soldiers, I imagined he’d do more than take a switch to me. So instead of money for my furs, I traded for food and other supplies I needed to survive.

Like bullets.

I checked the barrels to make sure they were loaded, and then pushed a few errant strands of my hair behind my ear. With a sigh, I made my way back toward the door, having no other choice than to face the danger alone.

Bradford left me to this, and now, whatever fate lay outside, was mine to deal with.

Most likely, I was about to be attacked by savages. They’d kill my chickens and goat in hopes that I’d run off just like my neighbors. Well, I wasn’t going anywhere. I couldn’t afford to.

With my shotgun in hand, I squared my shoulders, and opened the door again.

Were it not for the clouds, I would’ve been able to see, but only the candles from inside my cabin illuminated the area, which—with the shutters mostly closed—wasn't much. I stepped a few paces away from my porch, but lost the nerve to go further.

I wanted to call out a warning to whoever lingered in the darkness, but wondered if he—or even they (for I had heard they traveled in war parties)—would understand a word of my English. Raising my shotgun to nothing in particular, I tried to look threatening, believing if they saw I was serious, they wouldn't bother with me.

I listened.

My shotgun bounced in my trembling hands.

Well? Where was the attack?

The crickets near me stopped chirping, and my streak of bravado left me for dead.

I backed toward my cabin again, thinking I would have a better chance inside with walls surrounding me instead of standing out in the open, begging for an arrow to the chest.

The hairs at the back of my neck prickled, and I rushed the last few steps through the door.

A hand grabbed my arm and pulled me the rest of the way through the threshold and into my home. I shrieked and tried to turn toward my attacker to get in a scratch or two, but I didn’t have control over my body. My weight slammed the door closed as my chest was pushed hard against it, and I could feel my only weapon pinned between me and the solid oak. My enemy plucked the shotgun out from beneath my breasts and tossed it across the floor, a good distance away.

Now, even if I managed to move, I’d have nothing to fight him off with. Nothing.

Tears stung my eyes as all sorts or horrible images of what my attacker would do clouded my calm.

He’s going to kill me…he’s going to kill me.

Jerking me around to face him, my gaze absorbed only muscled, bronzed chest. Oh no…The blood drained from my face and rushed into my chest. A savage. Bloodthirsty and…saying something under his breath, drawing my attention to his face.

I almost gasped, confronted by exotic perfection. Arrogant nose, high cheeks, and a strong jaw. Fierce.

He wasn't painted like I heard they were when they went raiding, and he looked to be alone. He looked at me as if he was as fascinated by my gray eyes as I was by his dark browns. Earth-colored-—no, darker, like healthy soil after a rain.

I heard him unsheathe a blade, and when I would’ve screamed, he held just the tip to my throat and shook his head.

Messaged received. Besides, screaming wouldn’t bring anyone to my rescue.

He took a step back and glanced from the crackling hearth to the small dining table nearby, and a quick look given the doorway toward my bedroom. I knew he was making sure no one else was around and when his search came back to me his lips twisted with something close to amusement. A language barrier between us, perhaps, but I knew a mocking smile when I saw one. He found it humorous someone had left a perfectly good white woman behind for him to harass.

For some reason, this made me want to smack his face and damn the consequences. After all, he came here to kill me, what did it matter if I rushed his intentions?

My First Six Sentence Sunday!

2011-04-24T00:26:00.005-04:00

Meet Shyin Long, aka Ice, from Murder Creek, in this six sentence excerpt:

No doubt about it, the whores on the corner were forming a lynching party.

In two minutes, they’d call in their homicidal gang-banger pimps and her half-Finnish, half-Asian ass would be turned into bullet pulp. Or quite possibly burnt rump roast.

“Hey, uhm, just, waitin’ for a ride and all. Not stayin’,” Shyin Long mumbled, doing her best to sound non-threatening.

The prostitutes, of course, were taking her excuse and distance, as a sign of weakness, filling the air with the stench of doom.

Great.

Head back to Six Sentence Sunday: http://sixsunday.blogspot.com/

May Awareness Updates

2011-04-15T12:50:00.005-04:00

Wow...

Not only have I received a lot of really great suggestions for causes and charities to link to, but authors have come from everywhere to offer up their time (in doing write ups for their conditions), but their books. Ebooks, print books, and swag.

I'm truly humbled by the generosity.

Because of this, instead of doing four weekends with four different charities...I'm covering them all!

How I ever thought I could draw names out of a hat...I don't know. I thought maybe I'd get about six cause suggestions and I'd cover the two that didn't make it on another day with their own small giveaways...but SHEESH...

I'm getting permission from the charities still, so I can't mention the organizations, but these are the conditions we'll be covering.

Fibromyalgia
Colon Cancer
Children's Cancer and Lymphoma
Bone Marrow Registration
Autism
Depression and Suicide
Dementia and Alzheimer's
Heart Disease
Child Abuse
Drug and Alcohol Abuse
Domestic Violence
Lupus
Muscular Dystrophy
GBLT Rights
Epilepsy
Type 2 Diabetes

It's not too late to get your cause mentioned!
Side Note: All animal and nature causes will come at a later time. May is going to be all human focused with the exception of animal causes that aid humans such as dogs for the blind and therapy animals. (Two causes I might add even though no one has suggested them. lol)

Again, thank you to everyone who has donated their time and their books and swag to this little awareness event. I can't begin to tell you how much it means to me.

It feels good...to do good.

All my best,
AyVee

Project Awareness

2011-04-12T11:33:00.000-04:00

May 12th is Fibromyalgia Awareness day. It's a day that is very important to me, since I was diagnosed a little over three years ago. I'd never heard of the condition before, and I was very angry when I was given the label, as it is only given to people who test negative for everything else. I was angry. I wanted answers. I wanted someone in a lab coat working tirelessly to find a cause for what was happening to me, a test that could confirm what was happening to me, and dammit--find a cure! Fix me!

Every day for the first six months after my diagnosis, I was convinced the doctors diagnosed me wrong. No one can feel this much pain and not be dying. I lamented. I withdrew. I cried every night feeling sorry for myself.

I'll talk more about what pulled me out of my funk on my Noble blog post on May 11th, but suffice it to say, there were a few other factors leading to my rise from pain into a world where I'm going for it! Living my life, bettering my existence.

One of those inspiring factors was a commercial for St. Jude's.

How dare I sit here, having lived over thirty years, experiencing the world, traveling, loving, having a child...and feeling sorry for myself when children are dying. Children!

I knew such shame. Shame on me for focusing on myself and my sore knees and migraines and...Okay, I have a right to lament and fight for Fibro Awareness and research--but my condition is not the only one out there. I don't want to just fight for one cause, I want to fight for as many as I can. But how?

Not having a cape or special powers...here's my plan. May is going to be Awareness month here. Not just Fibro, but any cause. I want to help shed light on conditions and/or diseases that might not get attention very often, and even the big ones that need more and more funding because of just how many people suffer.

I'm asking YOU, to send me an email at authorallurevansanz (at) gmail (dot) com and tell me about a cause you'd like to see receive some Awareness! If you'd like to do the write up for it with a personal story, I'm all for that, too. (You can remain anon if you like.)

Every weekend in May, I will be posting a blog on a Random cause (drawn from the hatbox), complete with a link to a charity tied with the cause for donations. I encourage everyone to donate, and I personally will be making a 20.00 donation to each winning charity.

To draw people to the blog for Awareness, every weekend starting May 6th, I'll be picking winners for free ebooks, free Allure Van Sanz T-shirts, and 10.00 Amazon gift cards.

Side Note: At the end of May, the causes that were not selected will still have their day. Their donation links will be posted--complete with a paragraph description--on the last day winners are announced for the gift certificate prizes.

Let's help spread the knowledge this May and help raise money for the greater good.

Thank you so very much for coming to read and get more details on Project Awareness.

FELLOW AUTHORS: If you'd like to donate an ebook for the weekend give-aways, please send me an email with the book title you'll be giving away.

All my best to you!
Allure

Contest Winners & What's Next

2011-04-05T23:46:00.004-04:00

Thank you so much, to everyone who showed up and entered. Especially those who went out of their way to be everywhere! I appreciate you all.

From out of the hatbox...my daughter pulled:

Grand Prize - (T-shirt and a free copy of Love Revisited) Darcy! (I'll need your shipping address to send the shirt out. Send address to my email authorallurevansanz@gmail.com )

Allure's Blog Winner (T-Shirt) Desere (Likewise, will need your shipping address)
Allure's Blog Winner (Free E-book) Kelley
Noble Author's Blog Winner (T-Shirt) Alexa (And again...gimme some addy lovin!)
Michelle Mile's Blog Winnder (Free E-book) Cindy (send authorallurevansanz@gmail.com a message with the email you wish your prize to be sent.)

Honor Prize: Joey -- A choice between Handling Gwen or From The Ruins (Send me an email with your choice.)
Triple Crown Winner from the yahoo loop on Sunday: jms79

(T-shirt winners have three days to send me their info. If for some reason you're nervous about giving your address out, you may swap your prize for an ebook.)

Coming in May. Another contest! But this one has little to do with books, and everything to do with what YOU the reader, supports. Curious? Keep your eyes open in the next few weeks for a contest that's so very important, it's going to take me two weeks to run it!

Thank you, again, to all my participants. I love you and your support, and can only hope you allow me to continuously entertain you with my stories.

All my best,
AyVee
Allure Van Sanz

Free Book Contest!

2011-04-02T00:14:00.007-04:00

Guess what's coming out on Monday?

That's right, my newest release--which means I'll be running all kinds of contests this weekend. I'm going to run one here, for a free copy of my book Love Revisited: Davit & Jenova. All you have to do is respond, let me know you're out there and reading my post. Simple right?

There are other ways to win as well. I'll be on the Noble Romance Publishing yahoo email loop all day on Sunday, causing trouble and running contests--giving away free ebooks and a T-Shirt. Come join me by copying and pasting this link: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NobleRomancePublishing/

Also, stop by NobleAuthors@blogspot.com on Monday and say hi to me there as well to be eligible for a free ebook and a T-Shirt!

But that's not all! I'll be doing my first guest blog ever at the lovely Michelle's blog on Tuesday April 5th over at: http://michellemiles.net/blog/2011/04/05/inkwell-guest-allure-van-sanz/

I'm in the giving mood! And looking to reward readers who love Love!

And don't forget, there's also a .99 cent read up on Amazon and B&N. A full-length novel I think you'll all enjoy! Search for Murder Creek and add one more book to your "To be read" pile.

As always, I appreciate your support--now let me reward it! Leave a comment. Winners will be announced Tuesday April 5th.

Best,
Allure Van Sanz

Murder Creek is on Amazon!

2011-03-22T22:28:00.003-04:00

Murder Creek is now available on Amazon, and soon to follow on Nook. Below is the blurb for the book.

Consummate assassin, Victor Ramsus Graves, can’t help but wonder if there’s anyone on the planet that isn’t trying to put a bullet through his brainpan.

From the moment he’s mysteriously booted out of prison, bullets and bad guys come at him from every direction, hunting for a piece of his Italian ass like it’s coated in oxycontin. But when he meets his biggest adversary, Ice, he starts thinking about giving her more than a piece of it. She might want to kill him, but if he can get her in the sack before she gets a good shot, he’ll die happy.

Between the punks that have taken over his city in his absence, his uncontrollable ‘Shadow-jumping’ habit that tosses him in random places, and the pseudo-government operation Ice works for molding together hybrid humans, Vic’s life is as screwy as a Japanese game show. By his estimation, he’ll either go down in the name of thug science or get shot to death by the sexiest weapon alive. Either way, he’s going to bring the whole damned city down with him.

Story Behind The Story

2011-03-17T21:09:00.005-04:00

About ten to twelve years ago, I met Random Wicks in an AOL chat room designed for role players. The idea behind the rooms were; you created a character and interacted with other characters by typing out actions (inside double colons, like so -- ::grins:: )and adding dialog (outside of the colons, like so -- ::smiles:: Hi there.).

The play could get a little confusing, as medieval warriors interacted with modern day cowboys, but the improvised stories were so much fun overlooking character differences became the normal.

Random and I originally started a long story line with two contemporary characters. His, was a "family" hitman named Victor, and my character was a technologically savvy assassin. Our made up city was titled Neuhaven with an inner city named Murder Creek.

The world was born.

Over the years, it's changed quite a bit from our original intention, as the publishing industry dictated to us what they liked and didn't like, but in the end, no one but the readers seemed happy. LOL

Instead of make additional changes for a potential contract, we thought we'd move on to another project and set this one aside. But we love it. It's a little violent for a romance, it's a little too romantic for an Urban Fantasy, and no one seems to know where they'd put it on the shelf. We can certainly understand that, since we didn't write the story with a particular genre in mind. We just wrote for fun. The love of the story! But maybe this story wasn't meant for the shelf, maybe--just maybe--it was meant for the virtual library.

Why waste a story (which will have sequels if the response is good) on my PC? It's there, the BETA readers loved it--hey, why not?

So Random and I put together a cover, and tossed it up on Amazon, and in the next few days, it will go on sale. A full-length, action-packed, Urban Fantasy/Paranormal Romance novel for .99 cents.

I hope you'll consider giving it a read. I'll let ya'll know when it's a go!

Erotic--Genre or Sub Genre

2011-03-03T15:33:00.004-05:00

I was talking to a friend the other day about the different sorts of stories we both write. She's an historical romance and a paranormal romance author, while I write Young Adult (under a different name), paranormal romance and erotic. She referred to erotic as a sub genre of romance and at first, I didn't think much about that.

Now, I find myself thinking on it, and I have to say, I don't know if erotic is a sub genre of romance.

True, you can write erotic where the ending is happy and the two--or three or four--main characters are in love and live happily ever after. But you can also write where everyone is just happy for now in the end. You can also write a book that's all about two characters who get together just for pure fun and never see each other again.

However, those are character driven books. You can get other books that are classified as erotic that are how-to manuals for Kama Sutra, Foot Fetish, BDSM among many, many other subjects. These are non-fiction books but sometimes sold under the Erotic label in stores and online while most of the fiction erotic books are found in the romance section.

So where does that leave us? Erotic fiction isn't always romantic. But is it a sub genre of Romance? What do you think?

Paying it forward.

2011-02-18T19:40:00.005-05:00

Sometimes, no matter how busy an author gets, we need to be reminded to get back into the helping frame of mind. Giving another writer a quick one chapter edit, or judging a contest and giving good feedback, are two ways that I love to try and give a little back.

I owe my success so far to people who have taken a moment to tell me "You can't do that." "You have a passive voice, fix it!" I joined a contest about four years ago, my first one ever, and I remember being told "your hero is a jerk".

I was devastated. My hero is NOT a jerk! But it wasn't until I got over myself and listened to feedback, that I improved and received my first contract.

Now even though I received a contract, the book still needed a lot of work. Noble Romance saw potential in me. The editors took the time to point out my bad habits and by the time I was writing my second book for them, the red marks resembled an occasional hickey instead of a Dexter crime scene.

I'm pretty excited to say, the last critique I received from an editor, was followed by a comment that I write "clean". CLEAN??

WOOT! Clean.

I wouldn't have ever been called a clean writer without fellow writers pointing out the dirt. Now I have no idea if me pointing out what I see as incorrect in a contest or to my critique partner is appreciated, but I can only go by what was helpful to me, and hope to pay some of that forward.

So if you haven't volunteered or taken a moment to look over somebody's pages...you should. If you don't think it's beneficial to you...well...just think of karma. ::grins:: That's what I have to do when I start thinking I'm just too busy to help out.

All my best!
Allure

Tomorrow's Tragic Blog

2011-02-10T17:15:00.003-05:00

Tomorrow I'll be visiting NobleAuthors (at) blogspot(dot) com to talk about tragedy. I have to admit, I love a book that can make me cry and tomorrow I explain why I think that is.

Sure, I love books that make me laugh, too, but it takes a lot more emotion in a book to make me openly weep. And usually, it has something to do with relating, although I am quite empathetic.

I hope you'll join me tomorrow and share your own thoughts on tragedies.

All my best,
Allure

A Valentine's Day gift!

2011-02-01T20:55:00.003-05:00

Noble Romance is throwing a contest where the winner will get a free Kindle! How cool is that?

The winner is drawn from a magical turban...or it could be a fast food bag, I don't know. Either way, in order to get your name in there as much as possible, you need to go to http://nobleromance.com and at the bottom of the page, subscribe to the newsletter. Voila! One entry.

You get an automatic entry if you already belong so no worries!

You can ALSO get entries by buying books from now until February 13th, and if they happen to be one of mine...yay! LOL

Lastly, you can write a review for Noble Romance books you've purchased and get another entry. Of course, they have to be reviews that show you've actually read the book. As much as all authors would appreciate a succinct "I love this book!" it won't count for an entry into the contest. Submit your reviews on Noble Romance's Facebook here: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Noble-Romance-Publishing/110446688972959

So there you have it! Get your read-on! Get your review-on and hopefully you can get your Kindle On!

All my best wishes of luck!
Allure

Pretty cover!

2011-01-24T00:04:00.003-05:00

Noble Romance is putting out a series of short stories under the title Love Revisited involving characters from previously published books. I'm taking part in the fun by revisiting Jenova and Davit from my first published book, From The Ruins.

The original book covers Davit's ritualistic claiming of his chosen mate in front of his ghostly tribe, but in this follow-up, it's Jenova who decides to take charge. Let me give you a taste of what's to come.

Quick Excerpt from Love Revisited: Davit and Jenova

“Take him. Now.”

Davit’s eyes narrowed, his mouth forming a question he didn’t get a chance to voice.

The tribal women appeared, one at each of his flailing appendages as they bravely grabbed his ankles and wrists and held them down on the altar. Two other women appeared at Jenova’s side, and she held out her arms, allowing them to finish undressing her as the last woman walked around Davit and secured his arms and legs to the holes in the stone slab with leather straps and bone pins.

“What the fuck? Jen—what—”

His head tilted awkwardly up from the stone, turning to watch her as the women at her sides dabbed scented water on her shoulders, arms, between her generous breasts and down a path toward her shorts. She kept her eyes on Davit through the duration of her preparation. He looked so sexy struggling against his bonds, calling for the women to come undo him…commanding it really.

She saw the fear in her friends’ faces.

“He will not harm you,” Jenova whispered to the women. “Though he speaks in anger, soon his temper will be cooled.” Dark faces turned to each other, the group searching for one among them who believed a word she said. None of them found the security they were looking for. She chuckled. “All right. Leave us. Help the others keep the tribe bound.”

The women nodded and faded into the landscape, becoming part of it.

“Jen. Release me.” Davit growled.

He wasn’t happy, and she couldn’t blame him really. She remembered well what it felt like to be held down, unsure of what was to come. She’d been terrified, and secretly thrilled. This time, the unknown was for him to experience. Though she knew he wasn’t terrified. Instead, he looked quite pissed.

Well he’d get over it…

It's my birthday!

2011-01-21T16:59:00.003-05:00

Hi!

It's my birthday...weee! And I'm over at http://nobleauthors.blogspot.com to celebrate it! I'm giving away free books and giving YOU the opportunity to write one using me as your vessel!

I hope you can come over and say hi and enter to win a chance at getting a gift! I'd love to see you!

All my best wishes!
Allure

Welcome to a New Year!

2011-01-06T18:23:00.004-05:00

It's a brand new year! New goals to achieve--and some old ones to carry over! LOL

This year, I've decided to up my production. I have the ability to write really fast, and yet I procrastinate. I check all my different email accounts and Facebooks obsessively, which is bizzare when you consider that I'm not expecting any new contracts or any new fans. It's been almost a year since my last book came out for purchase.

All I've done since then is land an agent for a different genre, and write another full length. I haven't done the edits I promised, I have only finished one erotic short that I gave out as a gift this year for XMas...and subsequently, there are a lot of half finished projects laying around.

It's time! I need to put some effort into my erotic writings and keep churning out the short stories and the novellas. I can do that! I'm capable of having a career in two different genres at the same time...if I stop getting distracted and take control of my writing habits.

That is my most challenging resolution this year. I've been exercising since September and eating better, so those areas are covered. Now it's time to get down to business and get down with my business.

You'll all be hearing more from me soon!

Give Me Your Worst!

2010-12-27T17:21:00.003-05:00

I should be careful saying that. Someone might read it and think it's an invitation to be rude. No, no.

I want your worst Christmas present...ever. OR the worst Christmas presentation of a present. LOL Not sure what I mean? See my example a few paragraphs down.

Tell me in the comments what you got and why it sucked and you could get your hands on a free copy of Candied Cane. A hot little short about a woman who makes a candy machine to sell to the porn industry--only, the man who wants to buy it, wants to give it a test drive first.

If you have that short already, which some of you do because of the Christmas Party madness, I'll give you an exclusive sneak peak of my newest work-in-progress or a free copy of one of my other books from Noble Romance.

MY WORST Christmas present ever is hard to pin down. For me, I consider bad XMas presents to be something someone didn't put much thought into. Especially if it's someone real close to me. Like my father...gives me money. We're not close so I'm okay with that. The man who lives with me...gives me a gift card that says happy birthday on it. Okay...he was in a rush. At least he got me something. Right?

Most of my "bad" presents are actually okay presents that just have icky memories attached. I call it the worst presentation of a present. LOL

One year I got a sweatshirt that was two sizes too big. The guy I was dating and I decided to exchange presents at our workplace's holiday party to keep things uncomplicated. I arrived late with my best friend (a guy) and was rewarded with my present thrown on the table in front of me, damn-near hitting me in the face. Right after he "gave" the present to me, he pulled another girl onto his lap and started licking her ear while staring at me. A low blow for sure, and the whole situation was made worse by the fact that the girl he chose to make a spectacle with was my ex-boyfriend's little sister. Yikes!

There's one of my worst presentations of a present.

Maybe I'll delve a little deeper if ya'll give me some good stuff of your own!

Best,
Allure

Long Time No See

2010-12-22T13:50:00.002-05:00

Wow! Have I really failed to post in so long?

Yeah...I'm not all that great with keeping up with this blog. Or any blog really. I'm not sure why, when I could make the time to do it...if I just remembered to. Or set a schedule.

Lately, though, I took a vacation from writing erotic to pursue another genre for a bit. I haven't given up on either. NEVER. I'm just learning to incorporate both into my schedule. I'm going to have to write for both. While, for obvious reason, I have to keep both genres separate with pen names and different blogs, I don't have to choose one over the other. I just have to do double the work. LOL I'm okay with that.

My erotic fans have given me a ton of support, and since I haven't sold in the other genre yet, I found myself missing the encouragement. In YA, I've received a lot of rejections. The topic I chose to write about for my first submission isn't entirely popular in the United States yet. My agent is still submitting, but I already have a back-up manuscript just in case this one is a no-go. While I work on editing my second YA book...I decided to write a free read for anyone who showed up to the Noble Christmas Party on Dec. the 18th, and I plan to deliver the pdf in the next day or so barring any complications.

While I was writing Candied Cane (the freebie) I realized how much I missed writing in the erotic genre. It's a different breed of book, and writing both makes me enjoy what I do even more.

So my New Year's goals are to finish the two novellas I started earlier in 2010, and bring in a new short or two as well. I'll keep you all in-the-know on my progress.

I'd love to hear if you have any resolutions of your own for 2011!

It's a little early, I know, but Happy New Year everyone.

Best,
Allure

New Release Day!

2010-03-15T05:56:00.003-04:00

Hey all!

Handling Gwen is now on sale at http://www.nobleromance.com

Cliches get such a bad rep. But sometimes, that bad can be oh-so-good.

In Handling Gwen, a bit of blackmail takes "schoolgirl" a long way into making her teacher fantasy a reality, but will Gwen find herself in control or will Mr. Pierce find a way to turn the situation to his advantage?

For 1.99 you can come along for the hot ride.

Let me know what you think! I'd love to hear your favorite cliches, or one you'd love to see written again.

All my best to you all,
Allure Van Sanz

Got Character?

2010-01-12T14:26:00.003-05:00

On my agent's loop the other day, I asked about my newest WIP and whether the background I had for my character was a bit *too* much for Young Adult. Mainly I asked because the character chose me. Once I started plotting, her name and her background came through strong and I found myself staring at potential controversy. Hence the reason why I turned to authors I trust to ask about what would be coonsidered too much. I sparked interest, brought worry, and received a little bit of backlash.

Some worried about their young girls reading about a character who has such emotional problems that she turns to extreme measures. (Sorry I'm being vague here, but I'm protecting the concept.)

Others were very encouraging and others still came up with alternative backgrounds close to my original in case the book gets shot down because of the X factor.

Even asking the question was an eye-opening experience and for a couple of days...I let the story go. I didn't want to upset anyone or seem like I was purposefully going for shock marketing.

Only...the character wouldn't let me go.

I thought of putting this taboo X Factor into a book geared towards older audiences...maybe that new genre "New Adult" for college-aged people would work.

"But I'm not in college," said the voice in my head.

LOL I swear I think writer's are borderline schizo with all the character activity in our brain.

I once blogged about Grey, the side-kick to Vic in my novel Murder Creek, and how he corrected me when I failed to crack a joke about something Vic said to him in a scene. I was showering when I heard "You think I'd let that sh*t slide?" or something along those lines and sure enough...when I went back to edit I channeled Grey and had a humorous back and forth to put into the book.

Now, my MC Niabi is calling me a coward for considering changing her age to something more "acceptable".

I'm conflicted. The story I was originally writing (with my occasional writing partner Vas) seems to be taking a different twist. I wonder if I can keep with the original SL (Story Line) with a background XFactor this big. If I can shift it down in importance to the story but keep the impact of it hard and relevant.

It's a lot of pressure, and I pretty much just have to plow through it and see how it comes out...and I know Niabi will let me know if I start writing something she doesn't feel is legit.

So what do you all think? Does the character choose you? Have you ever written a character who you felt deep but worried about transferring to the page?

Best,
Me

Part Of The Job?

2009-11-15T15:28:00.009-05:00

Headaches...migraines, tired eyes. Oh my.

I write on average 2k a day give or take. I know I could do better if I pushed harder but lately even the 2k has been hard for me to do. I was supposed to have my Young Adult novel done by the end of October and here it is middle of November and it still isn't finished. I'm unhappy about that but I was constantly running into problems.

My head wasn't cooperating. I became despondant thinking that my Fibro condition was worsening and what constant migraines would mean for my career if I could only write 4k a week!...when I found myself squinting.

Yup, squinting...a lot. When I watched TV, when I played games and when I drove at night.

I had even reported to my doctor "these aren't my usual migraines" but he just told me it was stress or tension headaches. Yeah, stress on the eyeballs pal!

I finally decided it was time to go to the eye doctor. What could it hurt?

Other than my pocket book? Nothing.

Turns out I need glasses. The amount of money I paid for the cheapest lens (plastic) is mind-boggling. Oh and clearly I need to be a frame designer so I can make millions off the visual disabilities of others. Sheesh! So much for that Christmas present I was going to buy myself. ::sigh:: I guess the Craig Horner drool fest will have to happen at a later date or when the first season of Legend of the Seeker goes on sale.

Now I have to ask, because like all women to varying degrees who wear glasses I wonder... do I look like Lisa Loeb?

How To Sell More Copies Of Your Book

2009-10-04T19:50:00.001-04:00

When a customer asks a librarian or bookseller for a recommendation, whose book do you want them to suggest? How about yours?

The Greater Detroit RWA Booksellers’ Best Award is your ticket to more sales!

For the very low price of $27*, every entrant will get their book read by multiple booksellers and librarians. A poster of the winners’ covers will be sent to booksellers and librarians nationwide.

If that isn’t enough to send you scrambling to the Post Office…

Finalists will be invited to an exclusive party at the RWA National Conference in Nashville. Winners will also get a coveted Booksellers’ Best Award pin. Must be an RWA member to enter.

Now that you know you’re going to enter (why wouldn’t you?) go to www.gdrwa.org for rules and entry form. Deadline is January 15, 2010

*$6 additional cost to enter the Best First Book category

Top Ten Loop Annoyances

2009-09-09T21:04:00.002-04:00

While talking about Loop Pet Peeves with a few friends, I decided to compile a list and post it for everyone else to get a laugh out of...or, if you're anything like me, see things I do that made the list.

I swear I think four of these were added specifically for me by my..."friends". ::Eyes them.:: I'm onto you.

We all do something some people hate, that's why most people go digest. LOL

Instead of go straight down from 10-1 I put letters next to them so you can pick your own top 10.

Personally I would like to add Looooong paragraphs, and bright pink fonts to the list, but they didn't make the cut. (I think F,D,&C are references to me! Bitches. LOL)

My List Goes from Bottom to top: C, D, F, E, G, J, B, H, A, and OMG I hate the Doomsayers, so my #1 is I! Though it is pretty close with people who can't spell at all, especially if I'm referring to someone on a WRITERS LOOP.

Okay, onto the list! Would love to hear the order you hate them in and anything in addition that drives you nuts.

Best,
Allure

Top Ten Most Annoying Loop Offenses: (Put them in your own order.)

A- People who can't spell. I'm not talking typos here, because we all get them. But if you're spelling "genuine article" ginnuwen arctical" you better be a five year old.

B- People who respond to a question with: "I don't know" or any variation. If the answer to the question is not in your post, don't post it!

C- Congratulations, Thank Yous, You're Welcomes and other one-liner fluff. We always want to encourage people who are on the right track or doing something that's fabulous. But take it from someone who has been away for a day and come back to 1000 emails. 75% of them are usually one-liners.

D- People who know everything (just ask them) but say nothing. No matter what the topic is, they have something to say on it and know someone who has been through it but they don't remember how they overcame it.

E- Attachments/.gifs/.jpgs that have nothing to do with the topic, just something you keep on there that gums up my loading time or freaks out my spam filter.

F- The personal health updater. No matter what the topic is, they always manage to slip in their illness, the illness of their children and their children's children. Unless you are talking to a loop of intimate friends or a loops specifically designed for the illness you refer to, don't bring it up. 1000 people who barely know you might not care that you passed a kidney stone early morning.

G- The TMI group. They talk sex when they shouldn't, crack jokes whenever they feel like it, sometimes with a small disclaimer so they can feel justified. They talk about their panties bunching or their diarrhea episode at work. Who wants to know that?

H- Blatant self-promotion. Some of us join loops to promote a product and that's fine but when you answer an off topic question or respond with support for a tragedy or bad news, promoting shouldn't be at the top of your list. "I'm so sorry to hear your dog, Skippy, died last night. I wrote about pets dying in my blog at: www.Allaboutmeandnooneelsebutmeblog.blogspot.com.

I- The Doomsayer. You ask a question and their response resembles something like: "This happen to my cousin and she lost everything! I hope this doesn't happen to you."

J- The Spammer. Whether it is someone peddling a product or worse yet, someone who answers every loop topic in order of succession. When I sign on and have 15-20 emails from the same person right in a row, I delete them all.

I Don't Have Enough Family!

2009-07-22T14:55:00.003-04:00

Am I the only one who doesn't have a mammoth family? I have my mom and my sister and a cousin who apparently didn't buy my book because she didn't want her kids to see the cover. (What?!...flimsy.)

I've talked about the frustration of Blog Snobbery. Where someone constantly touts themselves but never visits other websites or blogs.

But what about the more painful kind of "snobbery"? The, "I'm too good to buy your book", snobbery.

I recently received my monthly statement (though it is being redone I believe) for From The Ruins and had to fight disappointment when I learned that I still hadn't run out my advance. Considering the advance money only covered a minimum payment on a credit card, I assumed it would be paid back the first week of my release. After all, there were tons of people that swore they couldn't wait to buy my book when it came out.

I was wrong.

When I received the May statement, I called a few "friends" and acquaintances questioning their lack of purchasing power. The majority swore again that they would "make it up" to me.

I stared at the June spreadsheet for a while like I had done in May and counted how many acquaintances I have...that are lying their asses off.

LOL!!

With the amount of promises I received...the advance would have been paid out THAT DAY. Release day! But it wasn't. I ranted, I raved, I had a bunch of people saying they bought it and my company is stealing from me.

Nice try.

The real problem is...I don't have "best friends" up the wazoo and I don't have family members outside of my mom and sis really. So everyone I depended on were friends of Dan's or Internet friends. Acquaintances that really could careless if they have broken a promise to me.

I used to be annoyed. But now that my focus is broadening, I'm okay with the knowledge that I don't have a 50 person group of friends and relatives that will push the sales of my book along. I'm okay with the knowledge that I'm going to have to depend strictly on talent, a publishing house's marketing as well as my own, and strangers who love my writing, to make it to the top.

I guess at least I'll know how I got there. Right?....right?

Unfortunately, it makes more work for me. ::Sighs:: There are times when I wish I had more family. ::grins::

Best,
Allure

What's In A Name?

2009-07-09T21:03:00.003-04:00

In a word?

Risk.

Today I remembered something my mother said to me, or maybe it was my sister, or my distant cousin from my father's side. I babble. Back to the point...someone asked me "How do you come up with these names?"

The question is easy to blow off with a "they just come to me" but in truth, there is method to my madness.

When I think of naming a character, the first thing I do is think of what I want to name the character for short or if I want a short name at all.

Let me take a new WIP I'm working on. It's a mer-folk book and I wanted the heroine's name to flow as if through water. Not hard consonant to gum up the works but soft, watery sounds. I came up with Aeraeeania (Pronounced Air-uh-ee-on-ya) and I call her Aera (Air-uh like Era).

But what about non fish-folk? What is my criteria for them?

First, I don't want a name that is common. No Jennys, no Brittanys, no Emilys, no Julies. Why?

Well this might sound ridiculous to some but... I don't want someone to put my book down because the name of my heroine, is the name of their exes new girlfriend, or the name of the 20-year-old their husband just cheated on them with.

On the flip side of that...my sister, Rachel, will pick up a book if the heroine's name is Rachel so maybe I'll lose out on that dollar.

Nah. I've come up with a hybrid!

When I pick a name that is popular I spell it different or mix two names together.

For my erotics, written under this pen name, I have two WIPS in the works. The heroine for my space opera, Maiden Voyage, is named Lilene. (A mixture of Lillian and Marlene.) In my M/M/F shifter story, my heroine's name is Jayna. (A mixture of Kayla and Jane.)

What about men? I give less thought about male names than I do women names. Oddly enough, given what I know about relationships and women (and being a good listener over the years)...we'll torture ourselves by buying a book with our exes name in it. Very rarely do we hate enough to put a book down but even then, we eventually "forgive" the name. (Okay, maybe not ALWAYS.)

Now if a fellow woman does us wrong... FORGET IT. That name is doomed for all eternity...or until we find a woman with that name that becomes a good enough friend of ours to negate the negativity surrounding that blasphemous name.

You may or may not agree, but this is my theory and therefore, why I "come up with" the names that I do.

::Grins::
Best,
Allure

Contest Woes

2009-07-06T10:54:00.008-04:00

If you belong to any RWA loops, you'll often hear about contests. Off loop, you don't hear about them as much but every once in a while someone will gripe about one.

I'm not talking about free e-book contests or free print books when you twitter a jingle twisted to sound like a romance novel.

No, the contests I speak of are the ones where those of us who have written a book, submit some pages for other non-published and published authors to critique in hopes of winning recognition or a read from an agent or editor.

I'm not here to slam these contests. I want to make that clear up front. I've joined a few of them with a horrible book I wrote, and then joined a few more with my agented book.

Contests should be handled like critique. The comments are mostly the opinion of the reader and not necessarily always true. HOWEVER, if you receive mirrored feedback from the different judges, chances are they are seeing what you cannot and you should take the advice to heart and work to improve your writing.

Having said this, I would like to state that joining a scene specific contest isn't for the faint of heart or anyone with high blood-pressure.

Why?

I've had a few friends complain about the comments they have received and I am jumping on the bandwagon. Not because I'm angry. I'm not. The work I'm referencing as an example has been revised and has an agent and some of the points made in the contest I'm referencing helped get me to where I am. I am very PRO-CONTESTS. However, we all need to realize the subjective comments are to be brushed off and laughed at. We all get them! Moreso with contests that have scenes in the middle of the novel. Below are some of my more annoying contest comments from the most recent entrance.

My Example:

The contest I entered wanted my best make-up or break-up scene with a set-up synopsis unjudged. Sweet! How fun is that? After submitting my story, I had my edits on From The Ruins and realized I had a passive voice problem. Because of those edits, I knew I wouldn't win any of the contests I had just entered but I still couldn't wait for the feedback.

The synopsis "unjudged", required for the contest, covered from the beginning of the story to the scene to be judged with vague descriptions that let them know why my heroine was attacking the hero. Nothing overly specific considering I only had two double-spaced pages to walk them to the near end of the book where the to-be-judged scene took place.

I didn't describe the actual room my characters were in or the clothes they were wearing or why my heroine had a gun. I thought the point of the synopsis was to build up to the scene for story purposes. I'm still not sure how I should have done it differently, so if you're looking for a how-to on synopsis for contests you won't find it here. LOL

Comment Example (real comments in quotes): In the entered scene there is reference to a paper shirt the heroine's wearing and baggy pants. The judge (Who is marked unpublished and non-PRO but "trained".)asked a lot of questions. "We don't know what she's wearing. I'm assuming you cover it before this scene but with this scene, I'm lost as to why she's wearing a paper shirt. Did she escape from a hospital? Where did she get the gun? These kinds of contests are hard for this reason." ....and she marked me down.

FACT: In the scene prior to the one she judged...guess what it explains? The heroine's escape from a type of hospital and why she is wearing the baggy pants as well. It also explains where she picked up the gun. **It is important to note, this was a 10 page contest. The beginning of the scene where she walks into the warehouse and the description is heavier, is missing. I start straight in with the action and I don't let go until page 10 where they cut me off with their restrictions. (Which are necessary, granted.)

Comment Example: This judge seemed horrified by my sensual couple. "I do not read a lot of erotica and I am very picky about what works for me."
& "If this is an erotic (and I can't imagine it's not)..."

FACT: I entered the contest with a level 5 heat rating and it is a contest where they wanted your best make-up or break-up. I figured sexual tension or hot lovin' would be expected. But my book is NOT an erotic. It is a paranormal romance that would have a Scorcher or Hot rating in Romantic Times should I ever be so lucky.

She scored me quite low. Out of 120 points I received 91. Ouch.

Second Judge:

Unpublished but trained PRO judge didn't score me much better. 95.

Comments: "It's always tough picking up in the middle. I may have missed some things." I got a medium to low score for good sense of time and place with the comment "Again, coming in mid story alot of this may have been in place."

Fact: Since I'm unsure what "alot of this" is, I can't really say if my story covers what she has a problem with prior to the scene.

At this point I became annoyed not because I thought my marks should be higher (though maybe they should have been) but for why I was getting marked down. It seemed like the judeges scored me based on assumptions instead of content.

They assumed I didn't describe the room prior to the action portion of the scene. They assumed my heroine didn't have an explanation as to why she wore a paper shirt and baggy pants. Even the third judge (who was published, trained, contest finalist/winner, and PRO) had a moment where she made an assumption and I LOVED almost all of her opinions. She gave me a solid critique and a bunch of suggestions I implemented during my passive voice revisions.

Still, she marked me down in believability with this sentence: "How did she find him without his knowing?" The opening scene is the heroine walking into the hero's loft office.

Fact: Earlier in the story they set up a rendezvous point where she failed to show at their agreed time. (The loft office.) This is where she goes to meet him once she is able in the judged scene. No need for detective work, she simply shows where she is supposed to. The gun she's packing is the surprise.

Sooooo...why am I typing all of this out? Am I bitter? I know it might come off that way but I'm really not. I liked a lot of the feedback I gained and because of it, maybe I'll clarify some things in the chapter and see if my agent likes it better.

I also received a few little tidbits here and there that I wouldn't have noticed if not for the contest like typos. A dangling modifier. A repetitive word.

I think entering a contest is a great thing...even a middle-of-the-book one though you'll have to put up with assumptions. ::grins::

BUT, for those of you who have asked me about why I put up money to get crappy comments, I have to say it is all for the critiquing, NOT a win and not all of the comments are crappy. LOL These judges are very much like our audience with a dash of delusional grandeur. Weed out the good tidbits and your writing WILL be stronger.

That's my 2% or a dollar anyway.

I would love to hear contest stories, good and bad.

Best,
Allure

Handling Gwen Sold!

2009-06-30T20:49:00.003-04:00

No longer the one ebook wonder, I sold Handling Gwen to Noble Romance. The contract goes out tomorrow, so I have no real details to hand out yet, but I will sneak in the blurb.

From The Ruins contest is over and done and the final two winners were Patti S. And Stephanie with an E.

I'd like to thank everyone who participated and hope those who didn't win will still give my book a try!

As promised, here is the new erotic blurb for Handling Gwen :

New to the teaching staff, young Mr. Pierce has a problem. One of his senior students is trying to seduce him, and to make matters worse, he wants her to. Gwen is the type of woman who takes what she wants and he admires that. Unfortunately she decides to take…pictures. In a moment of weakness, he falls prey to her wicked ways and is horrified when he hears the telling “click” of her cell phone. Now, it is up to him to save his career and take control of the situation by Handling Gwen.

All my best!
Allure

Squeee for Eeee's!

2009-06-22T14:01:00.002-04:00

*This post is subject to the last week of the free ebook contest.

Recently, I've begun to bring my laptop everywhere I go. From planes to RWA chapter meetings to doctor's appointments and trips to the park. Nowhere is safe from me and my laptop.

I also have Fibromyalgia, so lugging heavy things can make it virtually impossible to type.

So how can I heft my laptop around AND keep my arms from falling out of their shoulder sockets?

I was gifted with an Eee PC.

I would have to say that this lightweight alternative to the big laptops is a must have for all writers on the go, like me.

But it might not be fore everyone. Here is a list of Pros and Cons so that if you are thinking about getting a mini, or an Eee or whatever else they call these pocket notebooks, you can decide if it is worth the money. I know I find it a valuable asset, but I don't speak for everyone.

Pros:

-Lightweight (around 3-6 lbs depending on which size you get. I have the 10 inch.)
-Portable Even with the 10 in, I can fit it in my bag and take it anywhere. Of course I now have a special bag for it so I carry all my personal items in my laptop bag.
-Battery Life - Mine is supposed to last for 7 hours. It lasts for about 5-6. (They say it depends on what you do with it as well. I notice if I play a movie on it, the battery time goes down.) Still 5-6 hours is nice when you're on a plane. Just don't go overseas and expect it to last the whole flight. lol

Cons:
-Smaller keyboard - Do you have big fingers? You'll probably hate the smallest ones but in my opinion, if you can learn to text, you can learn the keyboard. It just might take you a few days and a few mistakes.
-Typos - I seem to make more of them. Most mistakes correct themselves but I notice I do two spaces often and it doesn't auto correct those. Annoying!
-Mouse - I'm constantly hitting the pad and typing about three to four sentences north of where I want to be. Hopefully, I'm not looking away while typing. (Something I do when I'm trying to keep a description fresh.) When I look back at my work, it can look like a jumbled mess. Annoying x 3! I learned to shut the darned thing off.
-No CD/DVD drive. USB ports only. I don't find this detrimental but some writers do.

Despite the typos and the mouse fiasco, the smaller keyboard was manageable after a few weeks practice so for me, there are no cons.

Hope this helps in your decision to by the newest trend or pass on it.

All my best,
Allure

Blog Snobbery

2009-06-17T12:44:00.003-04:00

I've titled this piece Blog Snobbery because the main example I'm going to use is about blog comment requests, but there are many types of promotional snobbery that has me irked this morning, so I'm going to be a little Rantasaurus Rex.

On Facebook, I receive requests asking me to visit blogs and come check out the subject du jour every day. I don't mind this, because we're all trying to get our readership up or new friends and networks. The only way to do that is to invite like crazy. I receive blognetworking requests and I accept every one of them.

Or should I say...I used to accept every one of them. I'm tired of the non-reciprocating snobbery of blog comments, follows, etc.

"I have a blog, you should all come visit me and comment." Well that's just great, except I've been sending out emails and asking for people to come by and comment and I haven't seen this person come by and say hi to me. Not once! I've been bribing with free copies of my ebook and sending out requests to everyone and making a point to visit the blogs of those who have come to mine.

When I get requests to comment or read on a loop where someone is asking for visitors (if I'm home or when I get home) I comment.

Now, with my local RWA chapter, the return comments of those I have supported and commented on are pretty decent. On all my other loops...the support is practically nil. I can think of one woman who constantly goes out of her way to support people she knows only in passing and Rie, I thank you for your generosity.

I belong to 20 loops to date and the reciprocation for when you visit and comment is horrendous. Even on Facebook when someone says something to me, I try to respond each time. Some fall through the cracks, but mostly because I don't check my Facebook often, but blogs and the like? Emails? I always do my best to respond but it seems I'm more of the exception than the rule.

So ask yourself this one question... Do I give as much as I take promotionally? And I'm not talking about visiting the blogs of your dearest friends or blogs that promote your work. Those become a responsibility not something you participate in out of a show of support or respect for fellow authors.

If all you do is visit places that promote you and your closest friends' blogs where you guest etc...then you're not a reciprocator, your a promotional whore.

We're all guilty of it, but sometimes you need to step outside the "you factor" and do something that isn't about self promotion. Ironically, putting your name out there and showing support to others IS a form of promotion. So do yourself a favor and step out of the "mememe" haze and take a look around once and a while.

There are great people out there, going out of their way to stop by and say hi to you. If you can't even afford them the same courtesy then let's face it, you're a self-centered jerk.

I should clarify that I don't think every author has the time to respond to everyone who comes to their blog when they hit the big time or have a large fan base. It would be ridiculous to assume a busy author (as if we're all not busy) has time to stop by each of their commenter's blogs. But lets face it, not all of us are at that point and if we can fit in our own self-promotional blogs than we should take a few extra hours to blog visit those outside our circle who have made an effort to support us.

Make the time! Don't just spam everyone on your social network to get visitors and then don't acknowledge or reciprocate. It disgusts me, it is rude, and it will no longer go unpunished by me. I will make a special point to unfollow, to return books, to not purchase books, of those who are openly all about self.

As I mentioned, we are all guilty of it, myself included. I get bogged down by life and I can't always respond to everyone, which I hate. I constantly notice something WAAAAAYYY after the fact. But I do accept network invitations, I do try to comment on those who have commented for me and I do try to respond to every email I receive despite the fact that I am busy, and I think because of that, people see that I HAVE tried, whereas most...don't bother.

Being an Author means being a bit self-centered, granted. But we should all do our best to even out the karma.

All my best to everyone!
Allure

This post is subject to the contest. Those responding will be entered.

**disclaimer on all typos due to circumstances well within my control but outside of my ambition.

Week 2! Week 1 Winner and Amended Rules.

2009-06-07T12:37:00.003-04:00

The first week's winner was Jen. An entry gained from facebook!

Originally I was going to throw away all the entries and start new every week. I have decided to just add more each week and those who visit and make a comment will get one entry per week in addition to their former non-winning entry.

You are not entered per comment, just one comment per week. Hope that makes sense, I'm still in lack of sleep mode from the puppy. (Like having a newborn without the emotional perks. lol)

I will be sending out Jen's copy today and making a post for new comments tonight or tomorrow, though you can comment on this post as well to enter if you wish.

Congrats again to Jen!

Best,
Allure

Free Copy Of From The Ruins!

2009-06-01T12:01:00.002-04:00

Everyone has their contests for free books and I've decided I don't want to be left out of the loop or seen as a stingy writer.

With that in mind, I'm starting a contest, which is really more along the lines of a raffle. Why? Because I'm pretty much drawing a name out of a hat. I'm going to put the names of those who leave a comment on my blog each week in June in a hat and draw a name.

This will reset each week and the winners will be announced on Sunday or Monday. UNLESS I get very few entries. Then I will be bunching all of the weeks together and announcing two winners for the month of June.

Your comments do not have to be anything specific or singing my praises (although, if you really wanna...) all you need to do is make sure I have your name and your email address to be included in the drawing.

One entry does not carry you through the entire month, just that week. (Again, unless the entries are few) I will try to think of awesome topics so when you come here, you have something to actually comment on! lol

As I am busy writing 4 novellas and editing my full length novel, my blog can feel a little empty. I'm sure it feels quite abandoned.

Hopefully this contest will inspire me to appear more.

All my best and good luck,
Allure Van Sanz

The Future of Vanity and Mainstream Publications.

2009-05-21T12:25:00.006-04:00

I read a blog recently about self publishing that drove me a little nuts. There was an argument about whether or not calling yourself "independently published", in regards to your publishing status, is an accurate description of being self-published or yet another "vanity" term for the self-published to "try to" legitimize themselves. There was even an accusation that those calling themselves "Independents" were trying to sneak out from under the stigma of the title "Self Published".

It was a good argument but a bit pointless in my opinion.
Why?

The book industry is changing dramatically. There is no arguing that. Regardless of your "side" in the Independent Publication debate, we're all playing a little guessing game as to what will be acceptable in the future. One thing I'm sure of is this debate will be taken to a different level when selling copies of your book on your blog in lieu of selling through an epublisher will be considered the new "vanity" publication.

When the ease of becoming epublished was brought up, I bristled a bit. "Epubbing isn't considered legitimate publication."

I would have agreed with that even two years ago. Because I didn't look towards the future. I love print books! I want to see my name on paper. But maybe that won't ever happen...

I would say whatever stigma once surrounding epublishing is dripping off the toe of the literary world as we come out of the delusion pool. With the introduction of Kindle and other similar readers, we're seeing a shift in acceptance.

We live in an A.D.D world now and patience is a virtue of yesterday. "I want a book and I want it now! I'm going to download it."

This mentality could also lead to self-E-published success in the future. "I'm going to read what I want, not just what is published by the big companies, but what is suggested on pages like authonomy.com and others like it because I want to decide what I like! Me! Me! Me!"

Downloading whatever we want to see or hear to our phones and ipods, watching TV and movies on Internet streams over laptops...these are the growing trends in all things medial. Ebooks are no different.

So who cares about self-published authors putting out their books in print?

The revolution from print to ereaders cometh. Pick up the debate afterwards and attack Blogging sellers. ::grins::

I've heard a lot of claims that there is no truth to how close this revolution is, but already you see B&N making some changes and epubs standing firmly through the economic BS going on these days.

Print may stand for a few more years, sure. But as I ready my epub book release with flash drives I can give out at "signings" with my work on it, I'm just hoping I can get one of my books in print before they stop making them in the future. And I do see that happening. Because in truth, my friends, I don't see my little cousins (who are glued to all things electronic) putting down their devices to pick up a book that doesn't let them receive txt messages while they read or have an interactive game included.

Just my .02 as to why it is pointless to argue the pronunciation of potato over vanity print publishing.

::Grins:: Sorry! I was all over the place with this one.

Best,
Allure

Release Day!

2009-05-15T10:20:00.002-04:00

From The Ruins is out this afternoon! And because of that, I'm going to give out a new excerpt. (PG for once!) With a suspenseful ending that I hope will send you over to NobleRomance (dot) com with your credit card! Lol Thank you to those who choose to celebrate with me! All my best, Allure.

Deeper and deeper they ventured into the humid terrain and after they'd passed the sixth snake without Davit so much as glancing at it, she had enough. Weird didn't describe his mood—first at the lab and now, dragging her out here without explanation. Jerking her hand from his, she stopped dead in her tracks and prepared to give him a severe scolding.

He had gone another ten steps before he turned to face her. Jenova gasped at the intense look in his eyes. He looked wild . . . predatory. But she wouldn't be put off any longer.

"Answer me, damn you! You drag me out here again for what?! Are you looking for another snake or are you just trying to impress me by pretending to be Indiana?"

His mouth tucked in at the corners. Apparently he wasn't amused by the comparison.

"It's beautiful and I appreciate your eagerness to take me on a grand adventure, but you can't act distant and expect me to follow you like a bitch in heat." She blushed when he raised a brow and sized her up with his eyes. Okay, maybe he could. "Davit! Tell me what we're doing."

The corner of his mouth twitched—humor or annoyance she couldn't tell—and when he closed the distance between them, she felt more than frightened.

He looked deep into her eyes and grabbed her chin. He turned her head to the side and buried his nose in her neck. On a deep inhale, he moved his mouth toward her ear. "Shh."

Irritated by the delicious shiver creeping up her spine, she stepped back and shook her head. He wasn't going to seduce her this time. "No! I'm not going any farther until you tell me what is going on, Davit!"

A hard breeze whipped around them, tousling their hair. She watched his thick, wavy locks frame his handsome face, and for a moment, she floundered in lusty thoughts. She couldn't resist him. The energy between them electrified the very air they breathed.

She felt a strange sensation burgeoning deep within, a knowledge belonging to her soul from another lifetime. Before she could take a moment to analyze what she thought she knew, Davit flashed a devious smile.

"Bring her!" he snapped, and continued on his path.

Her brows furrowed. "Bring her? What the hell does that mean?"

Instinctively, she looked over her shoulder. Her mouth went dry and she stumbled backward, ready to run after Davit. Maybe she'd jump on his back and bullwhip him until he carried her to the next civilized city. Before she could snap off a switch to use as a weapon, ten small men threw weighted nets over her and dragged her to the ground.

She screamed.

The Pains of Promoting.

2009-05-09T13:28:00.002-04:00

I've heard a lot about promoting and how many hours a day you should do it. If writing is your career, and you're not Stephanie Meyer or JK Rowling, you should be out there promoting for hours every day.

I treat writing as my career of course, even though I haven't made a dime yet. (My first book release is May 15th and hopefully I'll have a few more soon as well.)

In between play time and learning time with my daughter, I spend time checking email, reading, writing, editing, and promoting. What takes the most time?

Promoting! Hands down.

I can't keep up with it. There are blogs everywhere! Everyone has one, and everyone wants you to join and actively participate in theirs. It is survival of the fittest. I join those who ask me to but usual only visit a few a day to see what is going on. Then I check the emails only to delete nearly everything because I just don't have the TIME to read every promo or excerpt.

(This is a good time to mention catchy title lines!) I don't even open an email unless the title grabs me in some way. Out of the average 300-400 emails per day I receive from various Yahoo groups, I open about 10.

I feel like a busy agent who still has their submissions open but no real time for a new client. LOL

I know I'm missing out on some awesome books but there's nothing I can do.

We are certainly selling to ourselves though, aren't we? Authors marketing to other authors, which is awesome, but very time consuming.

I join groups only to get 10 emails from the same person who is also in all of the groups and promoting to each one simultaneously. GAhhh! That totally gums up my inbox!

Most of the time, I'm too terrified to post in any group. There are just too many groups that will ban you if you flub it. It has to say promo or excerpt and the rating. (Okay, that is easy enough.) "you can only post on this group on fridays, this group on wednesdays, and this group on thursday afternoons when it isn't raining!)

Pretty much my promo time is spent sifting through my emails to figure out if it is a specific author or pub house day or a free for all. It is quite time consuming.

Of course I can pay someone anywhere between 100.00 dollars and 700.00 dollars to do my promoting for me!! If I were making money enough to do that, I think I'd be able to do my own promoting on word of mouth alone!

If I had money to blow, sure, I'd do it. But I can't. Like JK Rowling pre-sell, I haven't a pot to piss in or a window to throw it out and I have a daughter counting on me not to spend money I don't have. lol

So it is back to doing what I've been doing. Sticking my nose in where I can get it and hoping I don't get banned from a group for messing up or yahoo swallowing my email for a few days and spitting it out on an inappropriate posting day.

People who write and have jobs and have kids...I have no idea how they do it. Playing with my daughter and writing and editing and promoting sucks up a full day for me and when I wake up, I start all over again.

Yay!

Haha.. best of luck promoting yourself. May we all find the day when promoting is easier and fun.

Allure

Long Paragraphs Are Quite A Commitment!

2009-05-04T23:32:00.003-04:00

I've been rather boring on my blog, no new excerpts or anything interesting to say. So it seems anyway, so I'm making it my mission to blog about something other than my nearing release date at least once a week.

But what am I going to say that hasn't been said?

Frankly, I don't know. So I'm just going to pick out something that happens in my day to day struggle to be the next big author.

Today, I'm going to talk about critiquing and more specifically, a huge trend I can't stand.

I'm on Authonomy.com often. It gives me good insight into my own writing. Seeing the mistakes other people make has actually made me a better writer.

I highly recommend that site, btw.

The best thing to do is to swap reads with someone. You post your book, the whole thing or just chapters (as long as it is over 10k), and then you read other books and "shelve" the ones you like. This isn't as easy as it sounds, as reciprocation is often expected. If a reader shelves your book, they don't get on your shelf, they can get a little nasty. Likewise, if you comment on their book and don't place it on your shelf because you didn't like it, chances are they won't give your book a shot at all.

This is the rare case, luckily, or I wouldn't bother with it.

It's fun, though, to read and help others perfect their craft. But only if they listen.

I critiqued two books recently that had the same problem. Looooong paragraphs. One even had run-on sentences in their looooong paragraphs.

I was trying to explain why this was a bad thing and it wasn't penetrating. ("well I think your paragraphs are too short")

I can't speak for everyone, I made that crystal clear, but in my experience...when you tend to go on and on with description in HUGE paragraphs, you lose the readers interest...they start skimming and once that happens, they miss chunks of your book.

A long paragraph always makes me sigh. In my head I literally think about how much bullshit I could probably skip past to get to the "good stuff". It is too much of a commitment to me. A big pet peeve, but I was told I was the minority so I politely backed away with an "I'm sure you're right" response.

I'm curious if I'm alone on my little island of short paragraphs. I don't mind a long one once in a while (still talking about paragraphs here) but too many and pages and pages of them usually have me tossing the book aside and reaching for a more succinct novel. I like description, I just don't like to be visually overfed.

Some readers are devoted to the written word, reading each one in the order it was printed and analyzing every sentence.

Me? I like fun, excitement, awesome dialog, hot sex, and god-damn short paragraphs!

All my best, Lovelies!
Talk at you again soon,
Allure

2009-04-25T12:56:00.001-04:00

Thanks for all the support and interest in my upcoming release From The Ruins May 15th! It is greatly appreciated.

2009-04-15T12:18:00.001-04:00

May 15th, 2009. The release date for From The Ruins is only one month away!

2009-04-08T12:49:00.001-04:00

Release Date: From The Ruins 5-15-09. Mark it on your calendars!

2009-04-03T14:34:00.002-04:00

Grand Opening of my new website: http://allurevansanz.com . Let me know what you think.

2009-04-02T18:42:00.001-04:00

Erotic Authors: What reference to genitals do you hate? Vote at http://ping.fm/MVBnR

2009-03-29T23:12:00.001-04:00

Checking out Authonomy with my alter ego, VGClearwater. Murder Creek chapters uploaded. Vote if you like it! Spread the word.

2009-03-29T14:07:00.001-04:00

I'm in a bad mood. What do you think my chances are of writing a hot sex scene? Someone's going to get hurt!

2009-03-28T18:18:00.001-04:00

Setting up and testing my Ping.fm. If it doesn't work, I'm going to lie and say I was drunk.

Update, Announcement, And Excerpt

2009-03-19T21:41:00.009-04:00

I sent in a request for the cover art on From The Ruins, so I'm excited to see it. Afterwards the editing process will begin. I still don't have a release date but hope to soon.

I have a few WIPs I'm working on but have decided to focus on the M/M/F erotic titled Lion's Share. I'll be posting an excerpt and hope that it peaks some interest.

It's a shifter fantasy set in Africa where Jayna's safari tour goes horribly wrong. All that stands between her and a bloody end is a pair of woman-starved lion shifters who believe she is the last woman on Earth that either of them is allowed to have.

Zar and Sahm each feel Jayna belonged to them, but neither is willing to risk the love they have for each other over a woman. What else is to be done, then, except to share the catch of the day?

The real question? Can they keep her alive long enough to enjoy the delicacies of her flesh, or will they lose their one last chance at having a mate to call their own?

Excerpt: Lion's Share (Unedited and X-rated.)

Sahm and his lover were a part of her. Their need as loud to her as if they announced it. She could fill the void that radiated from them. She could be the receptacle of their burning lust, and emotional need.

Had they been calling to her all along? From a great distance? It certainly felt that way. Why else had she suffered long, lifelike dreams of the lions? Why else this obsession to go on a safari just to see one?

And why else would she cave to the obsession to watch now what logically she should be running away from?

Try as he might, Sahm could not fit the entire phallus into his mouth. His head tilted from side to side yet still, he gagged before all nine inches of throbbing man reached its full into his throat.

You will take it all tonight, Sahm.

Zar…you are too swollen, Sahm whimpered and Jayna suspected it was all a game. Zar, the elder, wasn’t too swollen for Sahm, but Sahm wanted to tease, looking for some retaliation perhaps?

I don’t wish to hear excuses. On your back.

Sahm scrambled to comply, flipping to his back and inadvertently giving Jayna a full view of his magnificence. He still had a boyish pudge to his muscles. Not quite as defined as Zar but still prominent, with only the slightest lining of fat left still to burn. In time his body would be bulkier than Zar’s and even more sculpted, but for now he was the essence of youth, and Jayna could see why Zar had picked him as a mate.

Or gone gay for him. If that’s what had happened.

Now in the submissive position Zar obviously preferred, Sahm opened his mouth, sticking his tongue passed his lips in invitation. Jayna watched in fascination as Zar grabbed hold of his erection and dipped it inside Sahm’s willing mouth.

Holy Mary. She practically jumped in surprise, not realizing her hand had slid over her sex, pushing into the apex of her jeans until the knot of fabric rubbed over her taut clit. It was hard not to masturbate watching the men thoroughly enjoy their sex play. What woman in her right mind could be unaffected by these two?

Zar’s muscle-hardened ass pumped his cock into Sahm’s face while the younger reached down to his tense shaft and jerked it. He rubbed at the angry tip as it oozed liquid heat, smearing the sticky precome over his veiny girth. Not as long as Zar, but a little thicker with the promise of a good stretch. Oh and she needed one of those!
Her hand increased its speed, watching as Sahm too worked himself over more fiercely. The sounds of his pumping ministrations matched only by the slapping of Zar’s heavy sack against his smooth chin.

Without warning Zar popped his cock out of Sahm’s mouth, masturbating it as he hovered his balls over Sahm’s puffy lips. Lick my balls, Sahm. Taste the essence of what you are about to receive.

Picked Up!

2009-02-27T22:39:00.001-05:00

From The Ruins has been picked up by Noble Romance Publishing. (www.nobleromance.com) Release date TBA.

The Ruins Excerpts.

2008-11-10T14:17:00.006-05:00

Below is a blurb and two excerpts from my novella temporarily titled The Ruins. I’d love to know what you think.

Jenova is clearly going insane.
She’s at the end of a divorce that has made her an active member of the Bitter Club, she’s talking over the internet to a guy who is thirteen years her junior, and to put the ‘able’ in certifiable—she let him talk her into a vacation in the mysterious jungle. Despite her reservations, what could possibly go wrong? Only a near-death experience with a boomslang, a brief possession through a sacrificial altar, and her subsequent abduction by an indigenous tribe that’s been dead for a thousand years. Will the paranormal experiences be just what she needs to jolt her body and mind back into the joys of life, or will she lose her grip on the remaining shreds of her sanity?

Excerpt #1: The Ruins

“Jen…Jen, it’s all right. He didn’t get you right?”
Davit climbed onto the altar and knelt between her legs. He forced one to bend so he could look at the ankle more closely and sighed with relief that there was only a pink mark and small scratch. The Bushmaster had folding fangs and luckily it didn’t get a grip on her, she would suffer no ill effects.
He felt his shoulders sag with relief as he reached for her hands and dragged her upright. His arms wrapped around her shoulders as he held her trembling body against his. Fuck…that had been too close.
He had prided himself on being able to protect her but maybe he had been wrong to bring her out here. If something would have happened he would have never been able to forgive himself.
“F-found it.” Her voice was shaky as though she were still suffering from shock but the fact that she was joking made him smile.
“Good work. That was your plan all along right?” He pulled back a little, smoothing her dark auburn locks away from her face. “Jen?”
“What uh…what is it’s binomial name?” She looked from him towards the slithering linen bag on the ground and he followed her gaze to it.
“Lachesis muta muta.”
“Oh. Do I really have to say muta twice? Or did you just slip an extra muta in there? I just want to sound impressive when I tell my grandkids about this near death experience when I’m 80 years old.”
Davit laughed again, pulling her in closer as he rocked her back and forth.
He had been so scared. What if he hadn’t been quick enough? Oh god.
Mine. Mine. Mine.
The chant was so strong in his head he swore he could hear it. He inhaled her scent through his nose and was dizzy with the sensation. He wasn’t sure what it was but suddenly the need to tell her everything, to claim her right here, was overwhelming. There was a humming in his ears and the world seemed to slow. It was as if he were stepping outside of himself, or perhaps setting his true self free.
It had been that feeling that had gnawed at him years ago when he had interned with professor and found himself here. Back then he had ignored the sensation and chalked it up to a slight jungle fever or some such. But this was a fever of a different kind. This was obsession.
Again he leaned her head backwards to look down into her bluish-gray eyes. She stared back at him with a silent understanding he decided to interpret as a welcome and before he could rationalize his actions his lips lowered to her mouth and kissed her.
It was soft at first, a simple press of lips. Home. This is where he belonged. In the jungle, with his Jen.
He felt euphoric and liberated. All that he wanted was within his grasp. Take her, a voice inside him taunted. Yes…yes he had to.

Excerpt #2: The Ruins

“I’m going to fuck you, Jenova.” His words were deep, reaching into the core of her and bending her to his will.
“Yes.”
“You belong to me now.” His eyes narrowed slightly, daring her to refute his claim.
She couldn’t confirm or deny his statement. There was just too much pain when you gave yourself completely to someone especially when they decided they didn’t want it. Her brow furrowed. What if he took her and then no longer wanted her?
She felt his hand lightly slap her thigh. “Don’t think.” He grabbed her hand and pulled it towards his abdomen before releasing her. “Touch me.”
Trembling fingertips worked at the buttons on his pants, fumbling a little as she reached inside his boxers and found his hard shaft. “Uhh Davit.”
The way his cock felt encircled by her fingers, the power behind it, both aroused and shocked her. She ran her hand up and down, mesmerized by the feel of every angle, the rim of his cockhead, the ridges of his veins, it was all designed to give her ecstasy. The gods, he would kill her with his virility alone.
Swallowing she looked up into his dark visage as he reached down and grabbed her hips.
“These shorts…need to come off.” His voice brooked no defiance, but she had no intention of denying him anything. With a nod she unfastened her shorts.