It’s All About Me…

VERY cool new desktop PC - Asus Eee Top

2009-03-09T20:27:00.001-05:00

Asus has posted a video showcasing the features of their Eee Top desktop PC over at YouTube. This thing is amazing - VERY portable for a desktop PC, it has a touchscreen monitor, surround sound audio out, a chicklit keyboard and more!

Check it out for yourself:

What every man needs...

2009-02-21T23:48:00.002-06:00

Looking for a gift for that special man in your life? Need something personal, something he doesn't already have, something useful?

Your search is over. Enter the Weener Kleener! Sized to fit most men, this handy little gadget will get up close and personal to clean your guy's most important appendage...

I bet he doesn't already have one. :-)

If I had a horse...

2009-02-18T13:00:00.000-06:00

If I ever have my own horse, I will name it ‘Calgon’.

Then I can yell “Calgon, take me awaaaaayyyy” and it will know to break into a gallop when it hears that command.

And I would giggle every time...

Jennifer <-- knows a lot of 1970's commercials...

Songs for everyone for Valentine's Day (free MP3 from Amazon!)

2009-02-13T14:33:00.000-06:00

Amazon.com is giving a free download of Marvin Gaye's 'Let's Get It On' only on Friday (2/13/09) and Saturday (2/14/09) in honor of Valentine's Day! Click the link to access the free download: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001NTNJD2?tag=jenaraysweb-20.

And for those of us less lucky in love this Valentine's Day, enjoy the ultimate break-up song of all time, by Weird Al Yankovic. It's twisted and wrong, but it never fails to make me laugh, even on the heels of a fresh break-up. You have to love the sappy way Weird Al sings all these vile things... LOL

Sorry, no free download on this one, but you can watch the video at YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XAXutCG2h9E.

It's a lot better if you know the lyrics:

One More Minute
Weird Al Yankovic

Aahh....

Well I heard that you're leavin' (leavin')
Gonna leave me far behind (so far behind)
'Cause you found a brand new lover
You decided that I'm not your kind (aahh..)

So I pulled (I pulled) your name out (name out) of my Rolodex (oohh..)
And I tore all your pictures in two
And I burned down the malt shop where we used to go
Just because it reminds me of you (dippity dippity doo)

That's right (that's right) you ain't gonna see me cryin'
I'm glad (I'm glad) that you found somebody new
'Cause I'd rather spend eternity eating shards of broken glass
Than spend one more minute with you

I guess I might seem kinda bitter
You got me feeling down in the dumps
'Cause I'm stranded all alone in the gas station of love
And I have to use the self-service pumps

Oh, so honey, let me help you with that suitcase
You ain't (you ain't) gonna break my heart in two
'Cause I'd rather get a hundred thousand paper cuts on my face
Than spend one more minute with you

I'd rather rip out my intestines with a fork
Than watch you going out with other men
I'd rather slam my fingers in a door (yah)
Again and again and again and again and again

Oh, can't you see what I'm tryin' to say, Darlin...

I'd rather have my blood sucked out by leeches (leeches)
Shove an icepick under a toenail or two
I'd rather clean all the bathrooms in Grand Central Station with my tongue
Than spend one more minute with you

Yes, I'd rather jump naked on a huge pile of thumbtacks
Or stick my nostrils together with crazy glue
I'd rather dive into a swimming pool filled with double-edged razor blades
Than spend one more minute with you

I'd rather rip my heart right out of my ribcage with my bare hands
and then throw it on the floor and stomp on it 'till I die...
*Squeak!*
Than spend one more minute with you

I have lost my ever-lovin' mind...

2009-02-12T19:25:00.000-06:00

I'm gonna get hurt. I KNOW I am gonna get hurt. OK, maybe I'll get hurt. We'll see.

I'll back up - I just ordered one of these doohickies from Amazon.com: Empower em40 Bench Package. What's the problem, you wonder?

I have NO clue how to use this thing. Never in my life have I used this kind of equipment. I'm not athletic, in fact I'm kind of clumsy.

But Amazon.com just had this thing on a Lightning Deal for 64% off, which was a very affordable price, and it seemed the thing to do. I've wanted to learn how to exercise for a while, but to be perfectly honest, the idea of walking into a gym or the YMCA totally clueless as to how to use their equipment amidst a sea of people who know what they are doing is very intimidating. I'm not so much worried about being laughed at - I am the first to laugh at myself. Nope, I'm worried about pissing people off because my fitness-inept self is in the way of their regimen, slowing them down, etc.

So I'm thinking that maybe if I can do this at home, learning from the little booklet and training DVD, that maybe I can figure this thing out.

If you don't hear from me after it arrives, you'll know the worst has happened... Send flowers, will you? LOL

When a man calls himself an idiot...

2009-02-05T18:24:00.003-06:00

When a man calls himself an idiot, you should listen to him. He's probably not kidding.

Not long ago, a man told me he was an idiot. Naively, I assumed he was apologizing for past mistakes. Looking back now, it seems he was warning me about the way he would treat me in the future.

Another lesson learned the hard way... As Richard Marx sang in the eighties, I shoulda known better...

Wine & Rumours

2009-02-04T20:29:00.002-06:00

For years I’ve meant to stop in this little wine and art bar not far from my office. Today I visited the website for Rumours Wine & Art Bar and found that they happen to have a wine tasting every other Wednesday night. Now wouldn’t you just know that tonight happened to be one of those tastings! J So of course I took that as a sign that I had to go…

The wine tasting was from 5-8 and I arrived about 5:30pm. Tonight they had a selection of four of their favorite winter red wines. Red just happens to be my favorite for wine.

I was greeted by no less than three of their employees almost immediately upon entering the building. I was also welcomed by the wine distributor who was there to serve the wine and talk about the different vintages in detail.

I have to say, I loved the atmosphere and the welcome. Everyone was so friendly and warm, both employees and customers. It’s the kind of place where no one really feels like a complete stranger. The building is tiny from the outside, but inside it simply feels intimate. Very nice.

For such a small place, they boast a very nice, extensive wine selection. I’m definitely going to have to go back with a friend soon so I can try some of the interesting selections that are only offered by the bottle. I love wine, but drinking a whole bottle by myself isn’t really an option… They have a lot of wines by the glass, though, so a customer like me isn’t out of luck. And of course if you go on the evening of a wine tasting, even better. The tastings run approximately $20 and you get about a third of a glass of four different wines to taste. Once you’ve completed the fleet of wines offered in the tasting, you get a full glass of your favorite from the offerings.

I met some really nice people there, both customer and employees and can’t wait to go back soon! Even if it weren’t for the company, I would go back just for the food and the wine. They have a small but interesting menu, and have daily specials. Although the regular menu had several intriguing items, I opted for the pork dish on the specials menu today. It was tender, with just the right hint of spice, and was served atop a square of potato gratin (thinly sliced potatoes baked with parmesan cheese, I think), asparagus, and a green salad made with mesclun mix – my favorite salad green. The foog tasted amazing.

The service was fabulous and attentive long after the warm welcome and I could have stayed all night, except I had to drive home and I have an early morning staff meeting at work tomorrow. Dangit. I will definitely be back for another wine tasting at Rumours Wine & Art Bar soon, though!

Rumours Wine & Art Bar has two locations in the Nashville area – the one I visited on 12th Avenue this evening and another in East Nashville on Woodland Street. Check their website for hours of operation and complete addresses. Oh, and don’t forget to sign up for their newsletter! Website: http://www.rumourswinebar.com/

For those touched by adoption

2009-01-30T00:55:00.000-06:00

Eighteen years ago, I gave birth to my daughter, who I gave to another family for adoption. I’ve never met her or her parents, but I think of them constantly, especially on her birthday, January 30.

The decision was a hard one to make, but it was the right one for everyone concerned. That doesn’t stop me loving her and thinking of her constantly. More difficult were the years when I had to keep her existence a secret. Once I was able to open up about it, it has been far easier to deal with my decision.

Unfortunately, there are so many who cannot be open about their own situation. For them, as much as for myself and my daughter, I have written an open letter to my child for the last few years and posted it on my blog. She may never see these letters, but if they can help another child who has been adopted, another birth mother dealing with the pain of missing her child, or the adopted family who possibly wonder about the woman who gave them their most treasured blessing, then the writing of these letters is more than worthwhile.

I’ve posted this year’s letter for her birthday today. If you are interested in the topic, you can find it here: http://blog.jenaray.com/?p=326.

Thanks for listening.

Choose To Be Happy

2009-01-27T11:38:00.000-06:00

You may think that your own happiness is out of your control. You might feel lost, your emotional state subject to the various events in your life and maybe even the whims of those people around you.

But for the most part, you can choose to be happy. Sounds easy for me to say, doesn’t it? But it is true – I’m living proof.

If you wrote my life story, it would read like one of the most depressing Lifetime movies. I was switched at birth, run over by a car when I was a child, abandoned by both my biological father and later the father who adopted me, gave my only child up for adoption when she was born, lost my home and everything in it during Hurricane Opal, etc., etc.

That’s some sob story, huh? But I don’t remember every feeling like I had a bad life, even during the worst of times. While certain events may have made me sad at the time or even perhaps depressed, those emotions were fleeting, never consuming my life.

I come from a family of people who laugh in the face of adversity. Truly. We probably aren’t the most politically correct family, but we find it cathartic to laugh together through the worst of times – especially when the only other option seems to be crying.

I’ve learned to look for the good things in my life, count the blessings – especially when the bad stuff threatens to overload me. You know what? I’ve never had trouble finding something positive in my life. It may be something small, but that one thing may be the touchstone I need in that moment to keep me from immersing into the sadness and reaffirm that God loves me.

Some people think that I am always happy, and while that is true a lot of the time, I do have my moments.

This week, for instance, is my daughter’s birthday. I knew before she was born that God intended her for another family who couldn’t have a baby themselves, and I have never doubted that decision. That doesn’t mean I don’t wish that circumstances hadn’t been considerably different at the time. I miss my daughter terribly, even if I never saw her. I have always loved her.

So the week of her birthday is an emotional one for me, although I think of her every day. The day of her birth reminds me of everything in her life that I have missed, makes me wonder what her life is like now, hoping that she had every advantage I couldn’t have given her.

And if something happens to make me upset right now, it is harder than normal for me to pull out of that funk. It’s easy for me to spiral into a depression during this time.

How do I deal with that? I plan things during this time that keep me occupied. I surround myself with people I love and trust to deliver positivity and cheer. That positive energy does wonders to counter any bad feelings that I may have and helps me through what is the toughest week of the year for me.

It makes me absolutely heartbroken when I see people who don’t know how to grab happiness for themselves. I want everyone to understand how easy it is to find it – they just have to look for it and choose it. Count the small blessings – you would be surprised how many of them you have in your life. Don’t depend on big events to make you happy – those can be few and far between. It’s those small daily miracles that are really the fabric of life.

Another thing that helps is to do things for others. It always makes me feel good to do something for someone else with no expectations of reciprocation.

Smile at a stranger – you never know when a simple smile will change that person’s day. Compliment someone on something – earrings, hair style, the color they are wearing, whatever. Perform a random act of kindness somehow, no matter how small. The good energy you send out will come back to you. Maybe not in that exact moment, but it will be returned.

And if you know that you are acting from a place of goodness and love, then how can you regret any kindness?

I wish all of you the best. I hope you find joy and peace in your life – enough at least that it helps balance those hard times when they roll around, because they are bound to.

Remember that the trials in our lives are for a reason. They make us stronger, they set us on a path, whatever. If you have faith, then you know there is a plan and we don’t always know what that plan is. We just have to trust God and make the most of the blessings in our lives.

Intuition vs. Fear

2009-01-12T11:29:00.000-06:00

Listen to your intuition. Face your fear. Both are great advice. But what do you do when the two are in conflict with each other?

You know those moments – you can’t quite tell if your intuition is really ringing alarms or not? Especially when it is concerning a situation you know causes you some amount of trepidation already.

It can be a tricky thing to weed through the available signs to discern whether your fear is a warranted concern or whether it is the product of worried overreaction.

Ignoring that niggling feeling that something is off, however, can lead to considerable distress if the truth finally reveals your intuition to be on target.

Complicate that with those times when you want your intuition to be wrong, and it can be even more difficult to wade through the facts and fears to find the truth.

Giving it patience and time are often the best course of action but this is often the most difficult solution to abide. Knowing a truth doesn’t always make it easier. I’m still learning.

Blown Tires & Good Samaritans at Christmas

2009-01-07T00:01:00.000-06:00

I was fortunate enough to be able to spend Christmas with my Mom and the rest of my family again this year, although they live two states away from me. Traveling home to Nashville last Sunday night (December 28, 2008), my right rear tire blew out.

If this hasn’t happened to you yet, then you are really lucky. If it has happened to you, then you understand just how scary it is. I had no doubt in my mind what had occurred, even though it had never happened to me before. The car was hard to control and I could feel that end riding the rim.

I did what you aren’t supposed to do – I drove just a little bit further on it. I know, I know… But it was already dark and I thought I would prefer to buy a new rim than to be stuck in the dark on the side of I-65. It might not have been the right decision, but it’s what worked for me in the moment.

The other deciding factor in driving just a little further was that I was already at the Fieldstown Road exit in Birmingham, an exit I have used numerous times for travel breaks, meals, etc. I knew there was a gas station right off the exit, so I pulled into the Chevron and went inside to see if they could recommend a place to get a new tire.

They reminded me that there was a Wal-Mart just around the corner and suggested I drive there. Having already driven further than I should have, I decided it best to get a tow there. I was already someplace I felt relatively safe, so there was no need to chance further damage to the rim or face the hazard of driving a car that is hard to control.

I phoned Wal-Mart’s Auto Service department and asked if they could dispatch someone or if they had a tow service. The fellow who answered the phone said they had actually closed at 5 PM that evening (by now it was almost 6 PM) and I asked if he could recommend someone else that could do it. He put me on hold and Steve came back on the line to tell me they were going to reopen just to put a tire on for me and he also gave me the number to a tow service they liked.

I called the tow service, Hurst Towing & Recovery, and they dispatched someone pretty quickly. Chief showed up and took charge immediately, hooking my little Honda Civic up on the back of his truck and toting both it and me off to Wal-Mart. When I tried to tip him, he flatly refused, wishing me a Merry Christmas and telling me he was glad I was safe. I thanked him profusely before he left.

Then I met with Steve, the Auto Service manager at Wal-Mart who had been kind enough to reopen and wait for me. I made sure he had what he needed from me to get started and then begged to be pointed to their restroom (I hadn’t been in 250 miles by then).

Steve and his employee, Randy, worked hard to get a new tire on the car for me as quick as possible, without complaint. They went above and beyond to help a stranded traveler and I really appreciated the effort they went to in order to make sure I was taken care of. I would totally have understood if they had not reopened, but this group of people showed me that the spirit of Christmas is alive and well in Birmingham. Although I have to believe that Chief, Steve, and Randy probably exhibit that spirit year round, not just at the holidays.

I would happily do business with any of these wonderful people again, and highly recommend them to anyone in their area looking for services they provide.

Wal-Mart
Store #1201
890 Odum Road
Gardendale, AL 35071
(205) 631-8110

Hurst Towing & Recovery
Birmingham, AL
(205) 631-8697

Apparently, I am one of THOSE people...

2009-01-06T11:26:00.000-06:00

The rain is pouring right now, and I went out to pick up a to-go order for lunch, having a craving for my favorite Caribbean Barbecue Rotisserie Chicken with black beans and sweet potatoes... But I digress...

While en route to the restaurant, I found myself rather annoyed at another motorist who neglected to turn their headlights on even though the rain is pouring.

Then I noticed MINE weren't on. I am usually so good about turning them on in the rain - it's turning them off once I've parked that is my problem. But there I was, driving without my headlights.

So I felt bad about being annoyed with the other driver. Maybe they just forgot this once too. I guess it can happen to any of us...

This is me, ashamed and reminded to have a little more tolerance...

Safe, Sane, and Consensual…MASSAGE?

2008-12-20T20:43:00.000-06:00

When your massage therapist suggests you use a safe word with him, you get the feeling the massage will be pretty intense!

That’s what happened to me tonight. I went for a long overdue massage and had a new guy this time – at least he was new to me. So of course we talked about what I liked, where my problem areas are, etc. beforehand.

When he learned I like the Firm Swedish massage and that I ask for male masseuses because they are typically stronger and can apply more pressure he suggested that I pick a ‘safe word’ in case he was too hard on me. We settled on simply using the word ‘stop’ and he also said he would probably be able to tell by the way I was breathing and also if I tensed up.

It’s funny, though. I read a lot of BDSM romances and learned about something called ‘subspace’ where the submissive enters a state where they are kind of floating, aware but feel somewhat outside of themselves. I get that way during a good massage. If a massage therapist is doing a good job, that is.

The first time I had a professional massage a few years back, I was a little nervous. I had heard that they are very careful of keeping the private areas of your body covered with the sheet at all times, but was still a little worried that an accident might happen and I’d end up all shy , embarrassed and tense from it.

I needn’t have worried. Not only are they really good at keeping you covered, but about 15 minutes into that massage I entered that relaxed euphoria and realized that I didn’t give a flying leap if he wanted to yank the covers completely off of me. Seriously. At that point, I felt so damn good I didn’t care what he did to me as long as those magic hands kept doing their job.

The next day when I thought about that feeling, I thought that must be what ‘subspace’ feels like, or at least a little close to it.

Tonight when my masseur assured me he would be able to tell if I was OK by paying attention to my breathing and body tension, I once again thought how similar this activity is to the BDSM relationships I’ve read about. A good Dom, as I understand it, must be totally aware of his sub’s state, using the same sort of signals to tell what state of mind the sub is in.

At least that’s how I imagine it must be… I might be reading too many novels, though! LOL

Starr Ambrose blogs with Wild on Books!

2008-12-09T00:01:00.000-06:00

Join author Starr Ambrose when she guest blogs with Wild on Books!

http://blog.wildonbooks.com/?p=428

Dirty Deeds and the Thunder Chief

2008-12-02T00:01:00.000-06:00

Recognize that line? For years I thought that the chorus to AC/DC's hit song Dirty Deeds was "dirty deeds and the thunder chief". It wasn't until a few years ago that I found out it is actually "dirty deeds and their done dirt cheap". Imagine my disappointment. I thought the 'Thunder Chief' sounded kind of hot. LOL Which is probably totally NOT what AC/DC was going for, I am certain.

But it doesn't stop there - I'm pretty sure I'm not the only one who wondered why in the world Manfred Mann was singing about a douche in the song Blinded by the Light. I now know the line in the song reads "blinded by the light, revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night" but I STILL hear the word 'douche' in place of 'deuce'.

Bonnie Tyler's hit Total Eclipse of the Heart was one of my favorite songs once upon a time - I still love it, actually. But it took years before I figured out that 'pollygag' was actually 'powderkeg' in the line "we're living in a powderkeg and giving off sparks".

Of course, the most infamous misheard lyric ever is probably from Jimi Hendrix's Purple Haze. "Scuse me, while I kiss this guy" is what many people heard - still hear. The line is actually "Scuse me, while I kiss the sky", but it is rumored that Jimi Hendrix was known to fool around a bit with that line, feeding the 'misheard' lyric.

One of my favorite websites gets its name from that particular misheard lyric: http://kissthisguy.com. Sounds kind of dirty, right? But it is one of the net's most long-lived archive of misheard song lyrics. Visitors to the site can submit their own misheard lyrics to be enjoyed by all who come. Or you can simply have a good laugh browsing through the crazy lines posted by the rest of us fools! LOL

So c'mon, sock it to me. Share some of your favorite misheard song lyrics in the comments here... You know you want to!

The Alpha Male in Romantic Fiction vs. Real Life

2008-12-01T00:24:00.000-06:00

For many of us women who enjoy romantic fiction, the Alpha Male is the kind of hero fantasies are made of. He is arrogant, strong, demanding, dominant, maddening, and more.

Underneath it all, though, he is simply a great guy. He saves the day. He excites us beyond reason. He is strong and confident enough to enjoy the challenge that an equally strong and independent woman presents to him. In fact, he appreciates a woman with a lot of moxy.

But how does that work in real life? In the real world, a man as arrogant and demanding as the romance hero alpha male can be fairly off-putting. And sometimes it can be hard to tell the difference between him and the garden variety jerk or bully.

So what is a woman to do? How does a gal find a guy who has all or some of the positive traits of the Alpha Male without crossing the line into the abusive, domineering SOB that is threatened by a woman who doesn't cater to his every whim?

The trick is to always listen to your intuition. If that little warning bell goes off inside your head, there is probably something your subconscious mind has picked up on that is being overlooked by your conscious. Think about it - think hard. You'll figure out what is wrong with the situation.

On the other hand, is it just that this guy makes you a little uncomfortable? Does he try to push you past some limits that maybe you need to get past? For me personally, there are some things I maybe need a little nudge to get over every now and then - especially in the romantic area. The man who recognizes that and forces me to face my fear might make me a little uncomfortable as I work through whatever it is that worries me, but he is doing me a favor in the long-run.

The problem for the Alpha Male, though, is how can he determine when a woman wants or needs to be pushed a little and when does he need to step back? Trust me, I don't envy the Alpha Male in today's dating world. It can't be easy to temper their natural tendencies to take charge with some of us modern women who demand (and deserve) equal footing. And figuring out when such a woman WANTS him to take charge versus when she needs to keep the reins in hand has to be difficult.

Premature Cancellation Runs Rampant

2008-11-29T00:01:00.002-06:00

Premature cancellation. It's a problem that is running rampant through the television networks these days. Network executives are hasty with their cancellation orders these days, often axing a show before it has more than a few episodes under its belt. I tell you, if I love a show, it is a good indication that it will be cancelled pretty quickly.

Some shows are at least allowed to finish their one and only season, yet often leave storylines in the air, preventing fans from achieving any kind of closure. One of my favorites was Birds of Prey, a series with great storylines, well-developed characters, and fantastic action. It never came back after Season 1.

Other shows are given the rare chance at a second season, allowing viewers to get their hopes up, only to dash those very hopes shortly into the season. It was recently announced that another of my favorite shows won't be renewed for what would have been its third season: Pushing Daisies. This show is so clever, witty, and very different from anything else on television. To see it killed when some pretty trashy reality shows survive is disheartening.

Pushing Daisies shared a creator with another great series with a low episode count: Dead Like Me. Bryan Fuller infused this show with the same quirky humor and offbeat plots that he brought to Pushing Daisies. It was also cancelled unceremoniously. Some new life was breathed into it when it was re-run years later on teh SciFi channel, but it was too little too late. The cast had long since moved on to other projects, so even if a network bought the show, the chemistry that those actors brought to Dead Like Mewas a thing of the past.

Occasionally, a show is cancelled prematurely, but sees new life in a movie format. Fans let out an uproar when shows like Firefly and Farscape were cancelled. We found closure with Farscape when the SciFi channel wrapped up the storylines in made-for-tv movies. Firefly's return was even more spectacular, with feature film release in theaters nationwide. The joy was shortlived, however, when it was made clear that the movie Serenity, even as phenomenal a movie as it was, turned out to be the final death-knoll for that world and those beloved characters.

What's the point of all this? Networks are killing themselves with premature cancellation. Think aboutSeinfeld: that show didn't score well in the ratings its first season. In fact, it didn't reach the top 30 until its fourth season. By today's network standards, it would have been cancelled before it really had a chance to find its audience.

The fickle nature of tv networks today makes viewers like me reluctant to give new shows a chance. I'm tired of finding great shows that are never given the chance to find their footing before impatient executives trash them and fill the slot with the next new thing. It is rare I'll watch a show in its first season anymore, preferring to see it get renewed at least once before I invest myself in it. Consequently, viewership suffers even further because people like me aren't tuning in.

I'm just tired of it. The mindless banality and shameless manipulation inherent in the reality shows that swarm each channel today get renewed season after season, yet shows that have depth to them, real stories, shows that take talent to create and produce are killed off ruthlessly.

More and more I turn to other entertainment mediums to fill my spare time. Reading is my primary joy, although I like watching movies as well. Music is a neverending source of joy for me. But television? I find it is now staying turned off more nights than it is on.

RIP to some great shows:

Amazon.com Widgets

Auction for a good cause - Jo Leigh

2008-11-28T19:36:00.001-06:00

The writing community has banded together to help one of their own in need. A number of authors have donated services and books for auctions to help author Jo Leigh. For more information, check their website:

Evangeline Anderson blogs with Wild on Books!

2008-11-26T00:01:00.000-06:00

Join author Evangeline Anderson when she guest blogs with Wild on Books! Evangeline talks about building up to a love scene, and shares an excerpt of her new book, Picture Perfect, in which she tortures her characters in the best way...

http://blog.wildonbooks.com/?p=411

Belinda McBride blogs with Wild on Books!

2008-11-22T11:43:00.001-06:00

Join author Belinda McBride when she guest blogs with Wild on Books! Belinda discusses her book, and the very good cause that inspired the story.

http://blog.wildonbooks.com/?p=394

Jennifer Ray guest blogs on vampire fiction

2008-11-19T07:21:00.000-06:00

Join Jennifer Ray from Wild on Books as she guest blogs all day at Lori Devoti's blog during her '30 Days of Vampires' celebration!

http://loridevoti.com/blog/

Lori Devoti's 30 Days of Vampires celebration!

2008-11-12T07:35:00.002-06:00

To celebrate the release of her first vampire novel, Lori Devoti is throwing a month-long party at her blog. She has a different guest blogger nearly every day, starting today, and each guest is posting something about vampires. Oh yeah, and she has PRIZES too!

The blog can be found here: http://loridevoti.com/blog/.

The official schedule of bloggers is here: http://loridevoti.com/blog/30-days-of-vampires-schedule/. Check this page at Lori's site for the most current information regarding the schedule, as dates may change and new guests may be added. The schedule as it stands today is:

November 12
Lori Devoti
Kick off and Announcement of Grand Prize

November 12 NOON Central
Kerrelynn Sparks
Interview

November 13
Maria Lima
Interview

November 14
Harlequin
Harlequin Employees’ Favorite Vampires

November 15
Patricia Altner
Whitby Dracula’s Destination

November 16
Laura Baumbach
Turned…Does Gender Matter?

November 17
Irene Peterson
The Cold Hard Truth About Vampires

November 18
Jaye Wells
Interview

November 19
Jennifer Ray
Vampire Fiction, Is it a Passing Fad?

November 20
Joey Hill
TBA

November 21
TBA
Twilight, the movie

November 22
Kristi Astor
Twilight the movie, a review

November 23
Paula Guran
As Irish as The Vampire

November 24
TBA

November 25
Marta Acosta
Interview

November 26
Harlequin
Sneak Peak at Harlequin Vampire Titles

November 27
Cornelia Amiri
Fangsgiving

November 28
TBA

November 29
Faith Burnham
A Student’s Take on Buffy

November 30
Trisha Telep

December 1
Shiloh Walker
The Evolution of the Vampire and Contest!

December 2
TBA

December 3
Alex Bledsoe
A Rare Stake

December 4
TBA

December 5
Eve Silver
Excerpt from Kiss of the Vampire and Contest!

December 6
TBA

December 7
Margaret Carter
Vampires, the natural evolution

December 8
Jenna Reynolds
Vampires in Your Living Room

December 9
Gerry Bartlett
Interview

December 10
Jennifer Rardin
Interview

December 11
TBA

Did you notice I am blogging November 19? :)

Chat with J.K. Coi!

2008-11-10T00:00:00.000-06:00

Join author J.K. Coi when she guest blogs with Wild on Books today!

J.K. discusses her Immortal Series with us.

http://blog.wildonbooks.com/?p=378

Cathryn Fox blogs with Wild on Books today!

2008-11-04T00:00:00.000-06:00

Join author Cathryn Fox when she guest blogs with Wild on Books today!

Cathryn discusses her new book SUN STROKED and the reviews that compare it to an 'erotic Fantasy Island'!

http://blog.wildonbooks.com/?p=364

My September & October 2008 book reviews

2008-11-02T23:25:00.004-06:00

I'm a little late again, but here are links to my book reviews for September and October 2008. I hope you all enjoy some of these books too!

September 2008

Strands of Sunlight by Anya Bast
Sun Stroked by Cathryn Fox
To All A Good Night by Donna Kauffman, Jill Shalvis, HelenKay Dimon
Forbidden Fruit by Eden Bradley
Full Exposure by Evangeline Anderson, Lena Matthews
Cursed by Jamie Leigh Hansen
The Devil Wears Tartan by Karen Ranney
The Last Days of Krypton by Kevin J. Anderson
Thread of Fear: The Glass Sisters, Book 1 by Laura Griffin
The Magical Christmas Cat by Lora Leigh, Nalini Singh, Erin McCarthy, Linda Winstead Jones
Miss January: Calendar Girls by Madison Hayes
Into the Lair: Falcon Mercenary Group, Book 2 by Maya Banks
Seducing the Saint by Melissa Schroeder
Hunting Mila by Melissa Schroeder
My Custom Van: And 50 Other Mind-Blowing Essays that Will Blow Your Mind All Over Your Face by Michael Ian Black
Kiss of a Dark Moon: Moon Chasers, Book 2 by Sharie Kohler
Marked by Moonlight: Moon Chasers, Book 1 by Sharie Kohler
Tempt Me with Darkness: The Doomsday Brethren, Book 1 by Shayla Black

October 2008

Mortal Temptations by Allyson James
The Chosen Sin by Anya Bast
The Demon King and I: The Caruthers Sisters, Book 1 by Candace Havens
Blood Ties by Cathryn Fox
Midnight Sins by Cynthia Eden
The Flame and the Shadow by Denise Rossetti
Kristen’s Addiction by Evangeline Anderson
Red and the Wolf by Evangeline Anderson
Hot as Hell by HelenKay Dimon
Have Yourself a Naughty Little Santa by Karin Tabke
A Wolf at Her Door: Be-Wished, Book 2 by Kate Willoughby
All I Want for Christmas Is a Vampire: Love at Stake, Book 5 by Kerrelyn Sparks
In Her Wildest Dreams: Dream Wreaker, Book 2 by Kimberly Dean
What She Wants At Midnight: Dream Wreaker, Book 1 by Kimberly Dean
50 Ways to Hex Your Lover: Hex Series, Book 1 by Linda Wisdom
Hex Appeal: Hex Series, Book 2 by Linda Wisdom
Mercury’s War: The Breeds, Book 16 by Lora Leigh
Any Given Doomsday: The Phoenix Chronicles, Book 1 by Lori Handeland
Be With Me by Maya Banks
One Silent Night: Dark-Hunters, Book 13 by Sherrilyn Kenyon
The Missing by Shiloh Walker
Alluring Tales 2: Hot Holiday Nights by Vivi Anna, Sylvia Day, Delilah Devlin, Cathryn Fox, Myla Jackson, Lisa Renee Jones, Sasha White